50,000 soaps to fight COVID-19 were developed and distributed, mostly to the underprivileged.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community and to practice public social responsibility, Jeju Technopark developed and distributed cleansing soaps in collaboration with Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Jeju Institute for Regional Program Evaluation. These soaps are produced from the extracts from Jeju’s green tangerines and chopi tree (Korean pepper) based on the research of the island’s useful biological resources by the Jeju Biodiversity Research Institute at Jeju Technopark.

According to the research of the institute, green tangerines contain 10 times more flavonoids, such as hesperidin and narirutin, than mature fruits. It also contained a large amount of limonene, which has excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and linalool, which has excellent soothing effects. In addition, Jeju's chopi tree, which is used as an analgesic in folk remedies, contains a large amount of a-Pinene, a major phytoncide compound with excellent antibacterial and antiviral effects, and is identified as a plant resource with powerful anti-inflammatory effects.