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YouWho sample collecting kit. Courtesy of EDGC

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​By Ko Dong-hwan
 

Korean global genome sequencing firm EDGC on Friday launched a family tree service, unprecedented in this country but popular overseas, such as in the United States.

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Called "YouWho," the direct-to-customer genome-based service was approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare as a demonstration project. EDGC is the sole genetic industry player in Korea that acquired the approval.
 

On Feb. 28, the firm held pre-release booking promotion targeting 10,000 people, and sent sample collecting kits to those interested.

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With 700,000 sets of core genetic data based on EDGC's exclusive 3 billion pairs of DNA sequences, YouWho's clients can learn to which of 22 ethnic groups in 95 countries in six continents they belong and about their ancestors.

The company said it had found that Koreans, in terms of Y-chromosome (patrilineal ancestry), can be specifically linked to seven of 44 possible ethnic branches across the world and, in terms of mitochondria (matrilineal ancestry), 12 of 21. Having acquired such genetic traits of Koreans, the firm can create and provide client-friendly reports with useful information.

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YouWho was launched after the global genome industry's paradigm has been shifted from sequencing to a broader realm of data-based applications. It led to related firms earning mega dollars, like Google-subsidiary 23andme estimated to have earned in 2019 $47 billion with its family tree discovery service and expecting a stock value of $8.2 billion when the firm is listed in the U.S. this year.

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Market watchers said that more than 26 million in the U.S. were potential clients of family tree service providers like 23andme and Ancestry and that this was expected to jump to 100 million in two years.

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The market in Korea is still dominated by scientific groups ― 95 percent are research firms and their subsidiaries.