Disease Control and Prevention Agency Officially Launches on the 12th... Fully Committed to Overcoming Infectious Diseases by Ensuring Independence and Expertise

Strengthening staff by over 560 with Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's promotion to agency status
Enhancing full-cycle management from infectious disease surveillance to investigation, analysis, crisis response, and prevention
Establishment of 5 nationwide Disease Response Centers ... Introduction of multiple vice ministers in the Ministry of Health and Welfare

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) will officially launch as an independent and specialized agency on the 12th, marking 16 years since the establishment of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2004. Compared to when it was under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the agency’s workforce will increase by more than 560 personnel, expanding its size. The National Institute of Health, which was previously considered for transfer to the Ministry of Health and Welfare amid controversy, will remain under the KDCA.

On the morning of the 8th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that the Cabinet meeting approved the enactment of the "Organization of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and Its Affiliated Institutions" and the amendment of the "Organization of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Its Affiliated Institutions," which include the elevation of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the introduction of multiple vice ministers in the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Elevated to Central Administrative Agency, Comprising 5 Bureaus, 3 Offices, 41 Divisions, and 1,476 Personnel

The KDCA will focus its capabilities on responding to infectious diseases such as COVID-19, increasing its staff from the current 907 to 1,476, an addition of 569 personnel. Of these, 384 are net new hires excluding reassignments, accounting for 42% of the existing workforce. The agency will be structured with 5 bureaus, 3 offices, and 41 divisions, including the director and deputy director. Its affiliated institutions will include the National Institute of Health, the National Infectious Disease Research Institute, the Disease Response Center, the National Tuberculosis Hospital, and the National Quarantine Station.

The KDCA headquarters will serve as a dedicated infectious disease response agency, establishing an organic and detailed response network covering the entire cycle from infectious disease surveillance, investigation, and analysis to crisis response and prevention. To this end, a comprehensive situation room will be established to strengthen 24-hour crisis monitoring functions for infectious disease inflow and outbreak trends. A new Crisis Response Analyst position will be created to enhance functions such as collecting and analyzing epidemiological data and infectious disease information, predicting infectious disease outbreaks, and managing education and administration of epidemiological investigators for systematic epidemiological investigations.

The existing Infectious Disease Control Center will be reorganized into the Infectious Disease Policy Bureau, overseeing infectious disease-related laws, policies, and systems. Additionally, the Emergency Situation Center will be restructured into the Infectious Disease Crisis Response Bureau, enhancing crisis response capabilities such as securing treatment beds and stockpiles for infectious diseases.

Establishment of Infectious Disease Research Institute... Reinforcement of Infectious Disease Response Personnel in Local Governments

The National Institute of Health will establish a Research Planning and Coordination Department to strengthen R&D strategy formulation and performance management functions. The Infectious Disease Research Center under the National Institute of Health will be expanded and reorganized into the National Infectious Disease Research Institute, consisting of 3 centers, 12 divisions, and 100 personnel.

This institute will not only conduct research on infectious viruses but also strengthen clinical research and vaccine development support functions, establishing a full-cycle infectious disease R&D system. The director of the National Infectious Disease Research Institute will be appointed as an open position to recruit experts with excellent capabilities from the private sector.

To ensure systematic infectious disease response by region, Disease Response Centers will be established in five regions: the Seoul metropolitan area, Chungcheong region, Honam region, Gyeongbuk region, and Gyeongnam region. Considering the high population density and the presence of many multi-use facilities in large cities where the risk of infectious disease spread is high, offices will be set up in Seoul, Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu, and Busan, with a total of 155 personnel.

During normal times, the centers will conduct surveys, surveillance, and preparedness for vulnerable areas and high-risk groups considering regional characteristics, and support strengthening infectious disease response capabilities of local governments. In times of crisis, they will assist with epidemiological investigations, diagnosis, and analysis that are difficult for a single local government to handle, thereby enhancing the infectious disease response capabilities of local communities.

In connection with the establishment of these centers, 1,066 infectious disease response personnel, including infectious disease testers, researchers, and epidemiological investigators, will be reinforced at city and provincial headquarters, city and provincial health and environment research institutes, and public health centers. The government explains that this will alleviate the workload of local government frontline officials who perform specimen testing, patient transport, and epidemiological investigations, and secure the expertise of local governments in infectious disease response.

On the 7th, citizens are receiving tests at the screening clinic of Yeongdeungpo-gu Public Health Center in Seoul, where another confirmed case of COVID-19 has occurred among reporters covering the National Assembly. This is the third confirmed case since a reporter from a media outlet tested positive at the end of last month. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Strengthening Health and Medical Functions through the Introduction of Multiple Vice Ministers in the Ministry of Health and Welfare

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will add 44 personnel across 1 office and 3 divisions to strengthen its health and medical policy capabilities, including the newly established vice minister dedicated to the health sector as stipulated by the partial amendment of the Government Organization Act.

A new Medical Workforce Policy Division will be established to enhance functions related to the supply and demand of public medical personnel and improve the treatment of health and medical personnel, while also strengthening safety management functions for patients, medical staff, and hospitals. Additionally, a Blood and Organ Policy Division will be created to strengthen the management of blood and organ supply, establishing an organic policy linkage system with its affiliated institution, the National Organ, Tissue, and Blood Management Agency.

Considering the increasing social costs due to crimes committed by individuals with mental illnesses and mental health issues, a Policy Officer and Mental Health Management Division dedicated to mental health policies will also be established.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Jin Young said, "The purpose of this organizational restructuring is to thoroughly prepare for infectious disease crises and dramatically enhance the quarantine capabilities of the nation and local governments." He added, "We expect the strengthened infectious disease response system to operate smoothly, overcoming the crisis caused by the resurgence of COVID-19 and safely protecting the public."

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