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The forensic DNA database was managed according to the °ΠAct on the Protection and Use of DNA Identification Information°π enacted in July 2010, and the integrity and accuracy of the genetic information registered in this forensic DNA database was being emphasized. In this study, we analyzed the discordance (DC) ratio for each short tandem repeat (STR) locus in 21,160 samples received from January 2016 to October 2019 in order to contribute to improving integrity and accuracy of data. In addition, we also analyzed the change in DC ratio for each STR locus after the expansion of 20 core STR locus based on Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) of the FBI laboratory in January 2018. As a result, the DC ratio for each STR locus increased from 29 cases to 67 cases according to the expansion of the STR locus, and we selected the STR loci with a high DC ratio. Also, we were able to organize the three types of DC occurrence in this study. These results suggest that may help to minimize the STR data analysis error of crime scene evidence samples and to increase the reliability of the forensic DNA database.

Even now, numerous missing children and their guardians(family) are desperately looking for each other. It is a natural responsibility of the state to make efforts in various ways at the pan-governmental level for their reunion. So far, there are 30,275 missing children registered and managed in the missing children DNA database, and there are 3,232 guardians, which is about 10 times the number of guardians (as of April 11, 2023). Until now, about 630 cases of family reunion have been made directly or indirectly through the missing children DNA database. Some of the main cases are reported in this study.

Evidence contamination may occur due to human or environmental factors during the process of collecting evidence at the crime scene or analyzing it in a laboratory. At this time, the detection of contaminated DNA profile may lead to wrong decision of the investigation direction and have an unnecessary effect on the case, resulting in waste of manpower and time. In order to prevent such analysis errors, the establishment of the DNA database of the investigators and analysts for the purpose of exclusion is an important factor for improving the quality of analysis. In this study, we analyzed the status of the elimination DNA database to date, the number of matched investigation personnels by year, and the characteristics according to the type of evidence. We also reviewed possible routes of contamination and plans to improve the quality of the DNA examination. Since the DNA examination began in 1992, and until December 2020, 3,276 investigators, 611 analysts, and 34 coroner, a total of 3,921 were uploaded onto the DNA database. Various methods have been proposed to prevent contamination of evidence, including frequent replacement of gloves, masks, and lab coats, restriction of access to the location of the crime scene and the laboratory, periodic cleaning and prevention of contamination of the test area and equipment. Furthermore, it is necessary for investigation personnels to continuously recognize the contamination routes.

Forensic DNA database is by using the DNA profile of the felonious criminals DNA analysis method, the database collects of the result of analysis. The identification management system (IMS) of the scientific investigation which is particular through the database retrieval is Forensic DNA database if the DNA profile of the detected from the crime scene evidence of many events DNA profile and suspect related to it is secured. Forensic DNA database needs for legislation of Forensic DNA database for identifying possible convicted offenders and suspects for recordable offences. On 25 January 2010, as legislation of ‘Act on the protection and use of DNA identifying information’ in Korea after long days of dispute. The legal guideline has been set up for operation of forensic DNA database. Forensic DNA database operation system made by National Forensic Service(NFS), National Police Agency, and Supreme Prosecutor’s Office. The database of three organizations is connected and administered. In this report, the cases of the event solved through the database administration were presented. Through these cases, we can know that forensic DNA database provide the criminal justice systems with not only an efficient way of crime solving but also prevention of crime.

The herbal pill is usually made into several kinds of herbal medicines and supplementary excipients, such as starch, wheat flour, and honey. However, the verification of correct constituents of herbal pill is very difficult because it is composed of powders mixed with diverse herbal medicines. To determine the material composition of an unknown herbal pill, we analyzed DNA barcode sequences and NCBI GenBank nucleotide database on trial. Among the several DNA barcodes, nuclear ribosomal RNA gene internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2) amplified sufficient PCR products to analyze the nucleotide sequences and provided valuable informations to determine the constituents of herbal pill on GenBank blast search. These valuable information is enough to estimate approximately the main herbal medicines as well as excipients. Therefore, we suggest DNA barcode sequence analysis depending on the GenBank database as a tool of quality control method with chemical analysis for herbal pills.

NCBI GenBank nucleotide database and BOLD system provide DNA barcode sequences and tools to identify the taxonomic origins based on the sequence similarity and/or identity of BLAST(Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) analysis. However, these database did not verified its reality of the taxonomic origins for DNA barcode sequences by the confirmation of voucher specimens. To verify the application of DNA barcode sequence for molecular authentication of herbal medicines, we analyzed the sequence length, identity, concensus sequence, alignment range, and species specific nucleotide by the comparison of intra- and inter-species similarity using GenBank rDNA-ITS, matk, rbcL, and psbA-trnH sequences of Scuellaria species. This study would be a helpful reference to plan a scheme for the molecular authentication of herbal medicine based on the comparison of gene bank DNA barcode sequences.

범죄수사용 DNA 데이터베이스(DB)를 구축하고자 하는 시도는 이미 10여년 전부터 있어 왔다. 그러나 신원확인을 위한 정보 이상의 것을 가지고 있다는 점, 감식기술의 신뢰성 문제, 검체의 수집과 DNA정보 활용에서 인권침해의 가능성, DNA정보가 국가기관에 집중되었을 때 발생할 수 있는 오․남용의 가능성 등 DNA DB 구축에 있어 많은 장애요인이 존재한다는 이유로 아직 실현되지 못하고 있다. 검찰과 경찰이 추진하고 있는 DNA DB 구축에 대해 무조건적으로 반대할 것이 아니라 개인의 자유와 범죄수사의 효율성 사이에서 적절한 균형을 유지하기 위한 최적의 대안을 찾는 것이 무엇보다도 중요한 과제이다. 따라서 이 연구는 DNA DB 구축에 대한 장애요인을 분석한 결과, 가장 중요한 장애요인은 ‘법률적 요인’이었으며, ‘관리적 요인’, ‘사회․윤리적 요인’순으로 나타났다. 이러한 장애요인들에 대해 다음과 같이 정책적 대안을 제시하였다. 먼저 법률적 장애요인에 대한 대안으로는 첫째, DNA DB 구축을 위한 구체적 내용에 대한 법적근거를 마련하는 것이다. 둘째, DNA DB의 입력대상의 정당성을 확보하는 것이다. 셋째, 유전자정보 폐기․삭제의무 위반시 명확하게 처벌할 수 있는 규정을 마련하는 것이다 관리적 장애요인에 대한 대안으로는 DNA DB의 운영에 있어서 신뢰성 확보와 운영기관의 독립화하는 것이다. 즉, DNA DB 구축에 따른 DNA정보 유출의 부작용 방지하고, DNA정보를 안전하게 보관․관리하는 것이 중요하기 때문에 모든 국민이 신뢰할 수 있는 완전 독립된 기관에서 관리하도록 하는 것이다. 사회․윤리적 장애요인에 대한 대안으로는 인권보호를 위한 데이터베이스 시스템을 마련하는 것이다. 즉, 개인이나 시민 인권단체가 우려하는 점을 불식시키기 위해서 인권보호를 위한 데이터베이스 시스템의 구축 즉, 제도적․기술적인 시스템으로 극복하는 것이다.

This study examined the disturbing factors in establishing DNA database(DB) and found that the most important disturbing factor was 'legal factor', followed by 'social and ethical factor', and 'managerial factor' in order. This study suggested alternative policies to the disturbing factors as follows. First of all, the solutions for the legal disturbing factor include; First, the legal rationale for the establishment of DNA database should be found; Second, the entry target in the DNA database should be justified; Third, there should be clear-cut regulation on punishment against violation of abolition and deletion duties of DNA discrimination information. As the solution for social and ethical disturbing factors, database system to protect human rights should be prepared. To get rid of what individuals or citizen's groups are worrying about, the data base system to protect human rights should be established to overcome it through institutional and technological system. As the solution for the managerial disturbing factor, reliability in operating DNA database should be established as well as the operating agency should be independent. Since it is important to prevent the side effect of DNA information leakage following the establishment of DNA database and to store and manage DNA information safely, the DNA database should be operated by a totally independent agency which can be trusted by all citizens.