Promotion of International Standardization for the Korean COVID-19 Prevention Model

Walk-through Screening Clinic Model Also on Agenda... "Expected to Lead Global Market Dominance in the Bio Industry"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chae-seok] The government is promoting the international standardization of the globally recognized 'K-Quarantine Model,' which gained worldwide attention amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 26th that they plan to propose the K-Quarantine Model as an international standard by sharing Korea's exemplary COVID-19 response cases with the international community to help the world overcome the current crisis.

The government intends to systematize the procedures and techniques covering the entire infectious disease response process?from testing and confirmation to epidemiological investigation, tracing, isolation, and treatment?and submit them as an agenda item to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The proposed standard will be subject to in-depth discussions by experts from around the world, who will decide whether to establish it as an international standard.

The K-Quarantine Model that Korea plans to propose as an international standard includes operational procedures for automobile-based (Drive Thru) and pedestrian-based (Walk Thru) screening clinics, as well as models for operating community treatment centers.

Earlier, the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) diagnostic technique for COVID-19 passed the international standard proposal vote in February and is scheduled to be established as an international standard in November.

The Drive Thru screening clinic standard proposal was also submitted as a new standard to ISO on the 7th.

The ISO Asia regional office expressed interest in the K-Quarantine Model and held a video conference on the 23rd to share related information.

The international standardization work is being jointly promoted by a consultative body composed of related ministries such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s National Institute of Technology and Standards, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Korean Intellectual Property Office, experts, and diagnostic kit and equipment companies.

The consultative body plans to closely cooperate with the 'COVID-19 Response International Quarantine Cooperation Task Force (TF),' led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and involving multiple ministries, to contribute to the spread of the K-Quarantine Model.

Seong Yoon-mo, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, emphasized, "The international standardization of the K-Quarantine Model will not only elevate Korea's status worldwide but also serve as an important opportunity to lead the global market in the bio-industry, which is a future growth engine. We will actively promote the K-Quarantine Model to become the global standard by uniting the public and private sectors."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.