State of Individual Identification Using Genetic Polymorphism in Korea: Step to Criminal DNA Bank.

Choung, Chong Min; Jang, Byoung Su; Li, Zhe; Lee, Yoon Seong; Lee, Jung Bin; Ha, Eunho; Lee, Soong Deok

Original article

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 2006;30(1):25-37.
Published online May 31, 2006.

State of Individual Identification Using Genetic Polymorphism in Korea: Step to Criminal DNA Bank.

Chong Min Choung, Byoung Su Jang, Zhe Li, Yoon Seong Lee, Jung Bin Lee, Eunho Ha, Soong Deok Lee

¹Department of Forensic Medicine, Seoul national University College of Medicine, Korea. sdlee@snu.ac.kr
²Department of Imformation & Statistics, Yonsei University, Korea.

Abstract

There have been several attempts for criminal DNA profiling in Korea, but ended without any fruitful results. Recently new movement for the profiling has just been started. Many have to be solved in advance, which can be divided largely into two, technical aspects and legal system which could support the application. To build up profiling for any purpose, work for the standardization must be driven, because many are involved in the work. Authors have checked the status of the DNA typing in Korea and have reviewed its quality by statistical approach. All the popular forensic journals, Korean or international covering from 1997 to 2004, were reviewed to check whether it contains articles on Korean. All the articles containing genetic data on Korean were selected and their results were compared statistically. Total 67 articles were chosen. Articles were on 116 loci, among which 54 were autosomal, 32 were Y chromosomal and the remaining were X chromosomal. Among 32 Y chromosomal loci, 11 were bi-allelic. For the 50 loci two or more lab reported separately. For these loci the results from different lab were compared. There was no statistically significant difference for most of the loci, but some of the loci, especially on Y chromosomal STR loci, showed some differences. Data were showed with some review.

Key Words: DNA, Korea, profiling