Health Research Institute Will Not Join Ministry of Welfare

Ruling Party, Government, and Cheong Decide to Elevate Disease Control Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] The Democratic Party of Korea, the government, and the Blue House have decided to elevate the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and place the National Institute of Health under the KDCA. Previously, the government’s organizational reform legislative notice had planned to transfer the National Institute of Health, which was under the KCDC, to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, drawing criticism that it was merely a "nominal promotion."

Kim Gang-rip, Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, attended the 'Disease Control Agency Reorganization Plan Party-Government Consultation' held at the National Assembly on the 15th, listening to the remarks of Cho Jung-sik, Policy Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, while wearing a mask. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the morning of the 15th, the party, government, and Blue House held a consultation meeting on the reorganization plan for the KDCA at the National Assembly Members' Office Building and finalized this decision. According to the consultation plan, the KCDC, currently under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, will be newly established as the KDCA, an external agency at the vice-ministerial level. As an independent institution, it will be able to independently manage budget allocation and execution, personnel, and organizational operations, and will be granted autonomous authority in establishing and implementing infectious disease-related policies. The party, government, and Blue House also plan to strengthen personnel, budget, and policy functions.

Instead of transferring the National Institute of Health to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, it was decided to place it under the KDCA. At a briefing that day, Cho Jeong-sik, chairman of the Democratic Party’s Policy Committee, explained, "To maximize synergy in infectious disease response capabilities, the National Institute of Health will remain as an institution under the KDCA as it currently is," adding, "The Infectious Disease Research Center of the National Institute of Health will be expanded and reorganized into the National Infectious Disease Research Institute, creating a system where the KDCA can oversee the entire process from infectious disease surveillance to the development of therapeutics and vaccines, as well as support for commercialization in private facilities."

The Ministry of Health and Welfare will have multiple vice ministers. With the introduction of a multiple vice minister system, the first vice minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare will be responsible for welfare, while the newly established second vice minister will be in charge of health and medical affairs. The second vice minister will also preside over and operate the Health and Medical Technology Policy Deliberation Committee, which reviews health and medical research and development (R&D). Additionally, the party, government, and Blue House plan to establish an organic cooperation system where related institutions such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare, KDCA, and National Institute of Health can discuss matters together and focus on improving the R&D system in the health and medical field.

Chairman Cho of the Policy Committee stated, "The Democratic Party intends to prioritize the passage of the government organization law amendment bill to establish the KDCA in the June National Assembly," and added, "We will create a Korea safe from infectious diseases. We hope the government will also proceed smoothly with necessary enforcement ordinance amendments related to this." The government plans to submit the organizational reform plan prepared on this day to the National Assembly within this week after going through the Cabinet meeting.

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