Jeong Eun-kyung "Disease Control Agency Needs Separate Research Organization Even If National Institute of Health Is Detached" (Update)

Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters (Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency)

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), expressed the view that it is necessary to transfer affiliated researchers to the Ministry of Health and Welfare during the process of upgrading the KDCA to an independent agency (tentatively named). However, she emphasized that for the KDCA to operate properly as an independent agency separated from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, research organizations and personnel for policy decision-making are needed. She stated that consultations are currently underway with related ministries such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Director Jung made these remarks during the regular briefing of the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) held that day, addressing the recent controversy over the "agency upgrade and transfer of the National Institute of Health to the Ministry of Health and Welfare." She explained, "The National Institute of Health needs to become a larger and more specialized organization as the control tower for health and medical research and development," adding, "Although the National Institute of Health includes infectious disease research, it is responsible for research functions across health and medical fields such as genomics and regenerative medicine. Therefore, it was judged necessary for these functions to be integrated comprehensively with various research projects currently held by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to promote development."

According to the government organization reform plan announced by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety the previous day, a new Infectious Disease Research Institute will be established within the National Institute of Health currently under the KDCA, while the entire institute will be separated from the KDCA and transferred back to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The government explained this as a measure to strengthen infectious disease response capabilities, but among experts, many opinions suggest that separating the research organization and establishing it as a separate agency contradicts the goals of enhancing independence and expertise. The argument is that the field of disease control should base policy decisions and implementation on scientific research, and taking away such functions does not make sense.

Director Jung stated, "Even if the KDCA becomes an agency, research functions are necessary," adding, "Epidemiological research that enables effective disease control, such as developing modeling, prediction, or epidemiological investigation methodologies, or analyzing epidemiological characteristics and conducting field surveys for each infectious disease, is essential." She further added, "It is necessary to expand research organizations and personnel that conduct research on eradicating and preventing infectious diseases, developing policies, and providing evidence for decision-making to evaluate policies."

Director Jung emphasized that even if the KDCA is newly established, they are continuously consulting with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the need to have a research organization covering public health in general, which differs somewhat from the basic and mechanistic disease research and vaccine and therapeutic development currently handled by the National Institute of Health.

Regarding the separate issue of whether local public health centers should be placed under the newly established KDCA, she said, "Efforts to strengthen infectious disease response capabilities at the central, provincial, and municipal levels should be promoted together," but added, "Consultations are still ongoing regarding the types and detailed contents of measures to expand local organizations."

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