In this blog post, we’ll continue the urgent discussion by summarizing key issues ranging from allergies, toxicity, and antibiotic resistance associated with GMOs to gene flow and their agricultural and economic impacts.
Why Are GMOs an Issue Right Now?
Recently, a consumer group held a press conference urging a halt to imports due to concerns over GMO contamination, demonstrating that GMOs remain a subject of social debate. While statistics on import volumes reported domestically vary by time period, past data has pointed out that South Korea imports large quantities of GMO-derived ingredients and uses them extensively in processed foods. Consequently, concerns from consumers and civic groups continue to be raised.
Meanwhile, opinion surveys show that a significant number of people also recognize the benefits of GM technology. Some cite economic and technological advantages, such as solving food shortages, the ability to grow crops in harsh environments, and the production of alternative energy. However, at the same time, many citizens lack accurate information regarding the long-term safety of GMOs and their impact on the ecosystem, which can lead to misconceptions or underestimation of the risks.
What Are GMOs?
GMOs refer to organisms created through genetic engineering techniques by inserting genes derived from other species or artificially modifying the genome to possess traits that cannot be obtained through conventional breeding methods. Although international organizations and national regulations differ in their terminology, they generally define GMOs as organisms containing genetic modifications that could not arise through natural crossbreeding.
In the agricultural sector, the introduction of foreign genes for practical purposes—such as herbicide tolerance, pest resistance, improved shelf life, and enhanced nutritional value—is a common practice. For example, it is common to insert genes derived from other plants, animals, or microorganisms into crops to induce the production of specific proteins.
Human Safety — Allergies, Toxicity, and Antibiotic Resistance
Unlike conventional foods, GMO foods are consumed directly by humans, making long-term safety verification crucial. While some countries apply the principle of “not prohibiting until proven safe,” genetic effects may take decades to manifest, necessitating long-term monitoring.
The potential to trigger allergies is one of the primary concerns. Food allergies are caused by certain proteins, and there is a risk that proteins introduced through GM technology could trigger allergic reactions. For example, soybeans modified with Brazil nut genes to enhance nutritional value caused reactions in people allergic to Brazil nuts and were not commercialized.
Toxicity is another issue. The production of new substances not originally present in the plant can trigger unexpected toxicity or immune responses. There is still a lack of long-term data on the safety of consuming herbicide-resistant or insecticidal genes derived from other species over extended periods. While cases where genetic modification has been directly identified as the cause are rare, caution is warranted because there have been instances where genetically engineered proteins—regardless of the GM method used—have caused serious illnesses in humans (e.g., the large-scale incident related to tryptophan produced through specific genetic modification).
Another concern is the potential transfer of antibiotic resistance markers. Antibiotic resistance genes are sometimes used as markers to verify whether a gene has been properly introduced; if these genes transfer to surrounding microorganisms, they can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotic treatments. The spread of antibiotic resistance can cause serious problems at the public health level.
Ecological, Social, and Economic Impacts and Long-Term Uncertainties
The cultivation of GMOs can also affect the environment and ecosystems. For example, the widespread use of herbicide-tolerant crops and the herbicides designed for them can lead to a decline in non-target species, changes in soil and water quality, and the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds. There is also a risk that modified genes could spread to wild species through gene flow.
From an economic and social perspective, when a small number of companies monopolize specific technologies and seeds, issues may arise regarding food sovereignty and farmers’ right to choose seeds. Unlike the short-term benefits of increased productivity, long-term impacts and costs must be considered from a sustainability perspective.
As such, GMOs carry both potential risks and uncertainties in terms of human health, the ecosystem, and socio-economic factors. Since unpredictable changes may occur, thorough safety verification, transparent information disclosure, and continuous monitoring are necessary.
In conclusion, GMOs are a technology that possesses both clear advantages and potential risks. Therefore, rather than jumping to conclusions based solely on short-term effectiveness, long-term independent research, strict regulation, and the provision of accurate information to consumers must proceed in parallel. A cautious approach to consumption and cultivation is necessary until safety for humans and the environment has been sufficiently verified.
Impact on Ecosystems and the Agricultural Environment
The ecological safety issues posed by GMOs can be broadly divided into two categories. One concerns the effects that arise when genetically modified crops are applied to the agricultural environment, and the other concerns the effects that GMOs have on nearby natural ecosystems when they are released into the surrounding environment.
One of the most concerning issues in the agricultural environment is weediness and “escapement.” Weediness refers to cases where the originally intended crop remains unintentionally in subsequent seasons, hindering the growth of other crops. On the other hand, “feralization” refers to cases where cultivated crops hybridize with closely related wild species (genetically similar wild species) or spread genetic traits, thereby spreading into natural ecosystems. The latter poses a greater problem because it can affect not only farmland but also natural areas.
Weeds or feral species derived from GMOs may retain the traits introduced into the GMOs. In particular, crops with herbicide-resistant traits can transmit those resistance genes to wild plants through various pathways. Gene transfer can occur not only through conventional hybridization (vertical transmission) but also through horizontal transfer, such as via viral vectors. When traits spread in this way, the number of weeds resistant to herbicides increases, leading to problems with pesticide use and higher management costs.
GMOs with insecticidal traits also pose problems. Not only is there a risk that target pests will develop resistance to the toxic agent, but there is also the potential for side effects that kill both beneficial insects and pests. If a specific trait gains a relative advantage in the natural environment, the balance between GM and non-GM species may be disrupted, leading to ecological imbalance.
Furthermore, if a small number of GMO crop varieties are widely cultivated globally, this leads to a reduction in variety diversity, which can accelerate the loss of biodiversity. While farmers may not readily perceive this imbalance when repeatedly cultivating the same species, natural ecosystems are maintained through the balance between species and diverse interactions. Therefore, the spread of GMOs could, in the long term, lead to the extinction of wild species or the impairment of ecosystem functions.
Socio-economic Impacts and the Need for Regulation
GMOs are often expected to solve food problems through cost-effectiveness and increased productivity. However, the root causes of hunger are not an absolute shortage of food, but rather imbalances in distribution and economic inequality. Some reports point out that a significant portion of the food produced worldwide is discarded and that the core of the hunger problem lies in the failure to distribute it appropriately where it is needed. Therefore, the simplistic assumption that hunger can be solved solely by increasing production is problematic.
A greater concern is the potential for GMO technology and the market structures surrounding it to exacerbate the wealth gap. GMO seeds often require initial purchase costs and subsequent royalty payments, placing a financial burden on smallholder farmers. Some large corporations dominate the market by effectively subjugating smallholder farmers who cannot afford the initial costs. There is also the reality that developing countries and smallholder farmers find it difficult to resolve cost issues due to collusion with political circles.
Furthermore, there are doubts as to whether GMOs actually lead to a steady increase in production. For example, statistical analyses of certain soybean varieties—a representative GMO crop—indicate that yields per unit area have not consistently increased since their introduction. In other words, while the financial burden from initial purchase costs and royalties grows, there is a risk that corresponding benefits may not be sufficiently guaranteed.
In summary, GMOs can cause not only potential risks to human health and the ecosystem but also socio-economic problems. Since GMO technology was developed and commercialized in a relatively short period, it is still too early to definitively assess its long-term effects. Therefore, careful regulation and management are necessary until sufficient scientific evidence and data have been accumulated, and we must be wary of approaches that prioritize short-term gains as a means to solve food security issues.
