20세기 후반에 선진국에서는 감염병을 빈곤국가의 현상이자 인도적 지원 대상으로만 인식하였으나, 21세기에 발생한 초국경적 감염병 상황으로 선진국에서도 감염병을 안보 이슈로 인식하게 되었고 바이오안보의 중요성이 높아지고 있다. 바이오안보는 일반적으로 의도적, 우발적으로 살포되거나 또는 자연적으로 발생하는 병원성 미생물로부터 인간, 동식물, 환경 등을 보호하기 위한 조치로 정의되어 왔고, 보건･농업 또는 환경 분야 뿐만 아니라 병원균이 생물학적 무기로 사용되는 안보적 위협 차원까지 포함한다. 최근에는 포괄적, 광의의 개념으로 생물학적 위협으로부터 방어하기 위한 위험 관리의 총체로 정의되기도 한다.
초국경적인 전염병 상황에서 바이오안보를 대응함에 있어서는 개별 국가의 노력만으로는 부족하고, 글로벌 차원에서의 대응과 협력이 필수적이다. 기술집약적인 특성을 보이는 바이오안보에 있어서는 새로운 기술에 대하여 독점권을 부여하는 지식재산의 역할이 중요하며, 이러한 상황에서 WTO/TRIPS, MPP, Open COVID Pledge, C-TAP 등에서는 바이오안보를 위한 지재권의 개방 및 공유에 대한 논의가 이루어지고 있다. 이는 바이오안보를 위한 R&D 촉진 및 의약품 공급 등을 위해서는 지식재산의 보호와 기술개발에 대한 충분한 보상이 필수적이나, 일정기간 독점권을 부여하는 지식재산의 특성상 기술보유 기업과 국가의 자발적인 참여와 공여를 이루어내기가 어렵다는 점이 핵심이라고 볼 수 있다. 이에 국제사회에서는 COVAX를 통해 자금을 조달하고 제약사에게 충분한 보상을 하고 백신을 대량 공동구매하여 일정한 규칙에 따라 각국에 백신을 공평하게 분배하는 방식 등을 통하여 해결책을 도모하고 있다.
21세기에 인수공통감염병 등의 전세계적인 확산 현상이 자주 발생함에 따라 인간, 동물, 식물, 환경 등 각 부문을 하나로 연계하여 다루어야 한다는 One Biosecurity의 개념이 대두됨에 따라, 우리나라도 바이오안보 문제에 효율적 대응을 위해서는 관련 부처간 상시 대응체계를 구축하여 긴밀히 협력할 필요가 있으며, 바이오안보 관련 국제적 협력체계의 논의에도 적극적으로 참여할 필요가 있다.
In the late 20th century, advanced countries recognized infectious diseases as a phenomenon of poor countries and only as objects of humanitarian assistance, but due to the transboundary infectious disease situation that occurred in the 21st century, advanced countries also recognized infectious diseases as a security issue, and the importance of biosecurity is increasing. Biosecurity has generally been defined as measures to protect humans, animals and plants, the environment, etc. from pathogenic microorganisms that are intentionally, accidentally, or naturally occurring. This includes not only health, agriculture or the environment, but also the security threat level in which pathogens are used as biological weapons. Recently, it is a comprehensive, broad concept defined as the totality of risk management to defend against biological threats. In response to biosecurity in a transboundary epidemic situation, the efforts of individual countries alone are insufficient, and response and cooperation at the global level are essential. In biosecurity, which exhibits technology- intensive characteristics, the role of intellectual property that grants exclusive rights to new technologies is important. In this context, discussions on the opening and sharing of intellectual property rights for biosecurity are being conducted in WTO/TRIPS, MPP, Open COVID Pledge, and C-TAP. In order to promote R&D and supply medicines to respond to biosecurity, the protection of intellectual property and sufficient compensation for technological development are essential. However, the key point is that it is difficult to achieve voluntary participation and donation of technology-holding companies and the state due to the nature of intellectual property that grants exclusive rights for a certain period of time. Accordingly, the international community is seeking a solution through COVAX, which provides sufficient compensation to pharmaceutical companies, purchases vaccines in bulk, and distributes vaccines equally to each country according to certain rules. As the global spread of zoonotic diseases frequently occurs in the 21st century, the concept of One Biosecurity, which must deal with each sector such as humans, animals, plants, and the environment, as one, has emerged. Accordingly, in order to effectively respond to biosecurity issues in Korea, it is necessary to establish a regular response system between related ministries and cooperate closely, and it is necessary to actively participate in discussions on the international cooperation system related to biosecurity.
In the late 20th century, advanced countries recognized infectious diseases as a phenomenon of poor countries and only as objects of humanitarian assistance, but due to the transboundary infectious disease situation that occurred in the 21st century, advanced countries also recognized infectious diseases as a security issue, and the importance of biosecurity is increasing. Biosecurity has generally been defined as measures to protect humans, animals and plants, the environment, etc. from pathogenic microorganisms that are intentionally, accidentally, or naturally occurring. This includes not only health, agriculture or the environment, but also the security threat level in which pathogens are used as biological weapons. Recently, it is a comprehensive, broad concept defined as the totality of risk management to defend against biological threats. In response to biosecurity in a transboundary epidemic situation, the efforts of individual countries alone are insufficient, and response and cooperation at the global level are essential. In biosecurity, which exhibits technology- intensive characteristics, the role of intellectual property that grants exclusive rights to new technologies is important. In this context, discussions on the opening and sharing of intellectual property rights for biosecurity are being conducted in WTO/TRIPS, MPP, Open COVID Pledge, and C-TAP. In order to promote R&D and supply medicines to respond to biosecurity, the protection of intellectual property and sufficient compensation for technological development are essential. However, the key point is that it is difficult to achieve voluntary participation and donation of technology-holding companies and the state due to the nature of intellectual property that grants exclusive rights for a certain period of time. Accordingly, the international community is seeking a solution through COVAX, which provides sufficient compensation to pharmaceutical companies, purchases vaccines in bulk, and distributes vaccines equally to each country according to certain rules. As the global spread of zoonotic diseases frequently occurs in the 21st century, the concept of One Biosecurity, which must deal with each sector such as humans, animals, plants, and the environment, as one, has emerged. Accordingly, in order to effectively respond to biosecurity issues in Korea, it is necessary to establish a regular response system between related ministries and cooperate closely, and it is necessary to actively participate in discussions on the international cooperation system related to biosecurity.