International Development: South Korea to get country's first eye bank

The Korean Organ Donor and Tissue Program, is to establish South Korea's first eye bank. Aimed at promoting the donation of eyes to the visually impaired, the bank will be operated in association with a university hospital.

Lee Ji-sun, public relations manager of the non-profit organisation said: "As there is no medical organization which is exclusively dealing with the matter, effective corneal transplantation has been difficult."

The Korea Times, reports that according to the NGO, the number of people pledging to donate their corneas has more than quintupled in 2005 from a year earlier, boosted mainly by increased public awareness of organ donation.