[News Figures] Baek Gyeongran, Former KDCA Director, Steps Down from Quarantine Chief Role After 7 Months

Controversy Over SK바사, SK바이오팜, and Syntekka Stock Holdings
Disease Control Agency's Shortest Tenure in History

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Baek Kyung-ran, the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), stepped down from her position after seven months in office. She expressed her gratitude to the public, saying, "Thank you for enduring the inconveniences and difficulties and for adhering to the quarantine guidelines."

According to the KDCA on the 19th, former Commissioner Baek concluded her duties by greeting executives without a separate farewell ceremony and visiting various departments to encourage the staff.

In her farewell speech, former Commissioner Baek said to the KDCA employees, "The contributions I was able to make toward overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and advancing disease control policies were solely possible because of your passion, sense of duty, and dedication."

She continued, stating that the high international recognition of South Korea's COVID-19 response achievements and the public's return to daily life were thanks to the staff's commitment. She added, "Although it is regrettable that the winter epidemic response has not yet been completed, please continue to put in more effort and persist until we overcome the COVID-19 crisis."

Former Commissioner Baek also urged, "Please pool your capabilities and wisdom to advance the ongoing efforts to enhance the infectious disease response system in preparation for the next pandemic," and said, "I hope the governance system will be established so that future infectious disease pandemics are managed based on rational evidence."

Addressing the public, she said, "We are overcoming the resurgence without regulations such as social distancing through voluntary participation by the public, and preparations for the next phase of daily life recovery are underway," and expressed her deep gratitude, "I bow my head in thanks to the people who have endured inconveniences and difficulties and have practiced quarantine rules during the infectious disease crisis that has lasted for three years."

Former Commissioner Baek, who took office in May as the first quarantine chief under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the second commissioner of the KDCA, was an infectious disease expert who had served as an advisory member of the COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Committee and as president of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases, raising expectations. However, throughout her short tenure, she faced allegations of holding stocks with potential conflicts of interest in companies such as SK Bioscience, SK Biopharm, and Syntekabio, and controversy arose when her younger brother applied to be an outside director of a KOSDAQ-listed company producing COVID-19 diagnostic kits, revealing that Baek had disclosed she was his sister.

The National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee filed a complaint with the prosecution against former Commissioner Baek after she refused to submit documents related to her stock transactions.

Stepping down after just seven months, Baek became the shortest-serving head of the KDCA, including its predecessor, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Her predecessor, former Commissioner Jung Eun-kyeong, had served as the quarantine chief for four years and ten months.

Meanwhile, Ji Young-mi, the new commissioner of the KDCA and Baek's successor, began her duties after an inauguration ceremony held that afternoon.

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