The ICC is a global academic network focused on research related to centenarians, aging, longevity, and healthspan. This year’s conference features over 50 scholars from 19 research teams across 13 countries, including the United States, Japan, China, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Australia, and Egypt.
Participating research teams include those from New England, Georgia, and Iowa in the U.S., as well as teams from Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, and Beijing, Qingdao, and Hong Kong in China. European researchers from France, Belgium, and the Netherlands will also join, alongside teams from Brazil, Australia, and Egypt to share the latest findings in longevity research.
This year’s conference theme is “Extending Healthspan and Transitioning to Next-Generation Healthcare Paradigms.” Discussions will focus on how to not only increase lifespan but also enhance the duration of healthy living without disease, as well as how to tackle the healthcare and welfare issues faced by super-aged societies.
Gochang is recognized as a prominent longevity region in South Korea. According to local government data, of the total population of 50,148, 25,255 individuals, or 50.3%, are aged 60 and older. There are 6,927 people aged 80 and above (13.8%), and 1,220 individuals aged 90 and older (2.4%). The area’s well-preserved natural environment and rural community culture have made it a key location for longevity research.
The academic program features world-class research presentations. The opening keynote will be delivered by Yousin Suh, a leading authority in women's longevity research from Columbia University. She will discuss the “New Concept of Longevity,” outlining recent trends and future directions in longevity studies.
Following her, French demographer Jean-Marie Robine will present research analyzing global longevity trends and the changes associated with super-aged societies. The Georgia research team from the U.S. will introduce a study examining the impact of environmental and caregiving systems on the lives of centenarians. Japanese researchers will present findings from a long-term study tracking individuals aged 105 and older in one of the world’s longest-lived countries.
One of the key presentations will be from the Korean Centenarian Research Team, which began in 2001 at Seoul National University and has been continued by Chonnam National University since 2018. Over the past 25 years, the team has accumulated extensive data analyzing the genetic traits, disease patterns, lifestyle habits, and social environments of centenarians in South Korea. They have particularly focused on the “Gugoksundam Longevity Belt,” which connects regions in Jeollanam-do, to analyze local longevity characteristics.
The research team has also highlighted findings indicating that the average lifespan of Hansen's disease patients on Sorokdo Island is higher than that of the general population, suggesting new possibilities in longevity research. They are analyzing various factors contributing to longevity and the potential for extending healthspan among Koreans.
During the conference, the team will also discuss how lifestyle, community culture, and dietary habits among the elderly in Korea influence longevity. Research results will be shared on how family-centered community culture and social ties, along with historical changes in Korean society, have impacted health in old age. Additionally, findings on the dietary culture centered around fermented foods like kimchi, doenjang, gochujang, and cheonggukjang, as well as vegetable-based diets, will be presented, exploring the relationship between traditional Korean diets and healthspan.
Park Sang-cheol, Vice President of Genosis AI Healthcare, will serve as the ICC advisory chair, while Park Kwang-sung, head of the Korean Centenarian Research Team at Chonnam National University Hospital, will chair the conference, with Yoon Kyung-cheol, a professor at the same hospital, acting as the organizing committee chair.
Park Sang-cheol stated, “The life and longevity research data of Korean centenarians can serve as important reference material for countries that will experience super-aged societies first. We hope this ICC annual conference will further expand global collaboration in longevity research.”
The significance of this conference lies in the fact that longevity research has emerged as a crucial task in responding to the challenges of super-aged societies. South Korea entered a super-aged society in late 2024, when the proportion of the population aged 65 and older surpassed 20%. While life expectancy continues to rise, concerns remain that healthspan, or the period of life lived without disease or disability, is not keeping pace. Consequently, longevity medicine is increasingly recognized as a key area for enhancing quality of life in old age and reducing healthcare costs.
For the past 30 years, the ICC has served as a leading international academic platform connecting centenarian research from various countries. Researchers have compared and analyzed the impacts of genetic traits, living environments, dietary cultures, and social relationships on longevity, accumulating scientific evidence in the field. This year’s 30th conference not only reflects on past research achievements but also seeks to explore next-generation longevity research directions incorporating artificial intelligence and precision medicine technologies.
South Korea is noted as one of the countries experiencing the fastest aging rates globally. As a result, the centenarian research data accumulated by domestic researchers is garnering international attention. The Korean Centenarian Research Team has built a substantial database over the past two decades, analyzing genetic traits, lifestyle habits, and socio-environmental factors among centenarians. Academics believe these research findings could inform future global aging response policies and strategies for extending healthspan.
Experts anticipate that this conference will serve as a platform for international collaboration to seek solutions to the challenges posed by super-aged societies. As the reality of a 100-year life expectancy approaches, there is growing interest in the healthy aging and longevity strategies, as well as the future directions of medical technology proposed by researchers from around the world.
Meanwhile, Genosis AI Healthcare plans to continue advancing its precision medicine initiatives, including research on Human Digital Twins (HDT) and the development of AI-based medical technologies, leveraging this conference as a catalyst.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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