Sogang University’s Bioethics Committee has received accreditation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare after passing an evaluation under the ministry’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) evaluation and accreditation program, the university said. The evaluation and accreditation system, established under the Bioethics and Safety Act, comprehensively assesses IRB operations and the level of protection provided to research participants at institutions that conduct research involving human participants and human-derived materials. The evaluation examines an institution’s overall capacity to manage bioethics, including the independence and expertise of its IRB, the adequacy of review procedures, the composition and training of IRB members, systems for protecting research participants, and the management of relevant regulations and records. Sogang University noted that the accreditation reflects its continued efforts to establish a robust framework for IRB operations to protect the dignity, rights, safety and welfare of research participants throughout the research process and to ensu