Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Upgraded to 'Korea Disease Control Agency' ... Ministry of Health and Welfare Establishes New 'Vice Minister of Health' Position

Strengthening Infectious Disease Response Capabilities ... Independent Exercise of Personnel, Budget, and Organizational Authority
Establishment of Regional 'Disease Response Centers' ... Also Establishment of National Institute of Infectious Diseases

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The government has decided to elevate the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) from under the Ministry of Health and Welfare to an independent "Agency" and establish regional "Disease Response Centers" under it to strengthen responses to infectious diseases, including the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The Ministry of Health and Welfare will introduce a multiple vice-minister system by creating a new vice minister position for health, thereby separating the health and welfare sectors.

On the 3rd, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced the government organization reform plan, including these details, through a legislative notice of a partial amendment to the Government Organization Act and a briefing, revealing the reorganization plan for the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the KDCA.

The newly established Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency will independently manage its budget, personnel, and organization, and will have substantial authority to perform policy and execution functions related to infectious diseases. Through this, the government expects that the expertise and independence in infectious disease policy decisions will improve, and a rapid decision-making system will be established, thereby strengthening the government's infectious disease response capabilities.

Additionally, various surveys, research, and projects related to disease control and health promotion, currently conducted by the KDCA under delegation from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, will also be promoted as the exclusive authority of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

However, even for infectious disease-related tasks such as export bans on items necessary for prevention, quarantine, and treatment of infectious diseases, or compensation for losses incurred by medical institutions due to infectious disease responses, functions that require cooperation among multiple ministries or are closely related to the health care system will continue to be handled by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for efficient task execution.

Furthermore, in crisis situations where infectious diseases spread nationwide and require the mobilization of whole-government capabilities, the current system where the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency respond jointly will be maintained. Functions related to long-term care, organization, and blood management of the KDCA will be transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, considering the linkage with health care resource management and health projects.

The government plans to promptly reinforce the necessary organization and personnel so that the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency can perform its enhanced functions without delay and to improve human resource capabilities.

Alongside this, one additional vice minister position will be newly created within the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The First Vice Minister will be responsible for planning, coordination, and welfare sectors, while the Second Vice Minister will oversee the health sector. Despite the order of the first and second vice ministers, the name "Ministry of Health and Welfare" will be retained to avoid confusion and administrative waste caused by a name change.

The health and medical functions of the Ministry of Health and Welfare will also be strengthened. The current Infectious Disease Research Center of the National Institute of Health will be expanded and reorganized to establish the National Infectious Disease Research Institute, building a comprehensive response system covering everything from infectious disease surveillance to the development and commercialization of therapeutics and vaccines, significantly expanding the national-level infectious disease research function.

To strengthen public health medical functions and the community's quarantine capabilities, a regional-level response system will also be established.

Under the newly established Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, regional "Disease Response Centers (tentative name)" will be set up to conduct epidemiological investigations and continuous disease surveys and analyses at the local level, supporting the community's quarantine functions.

The partial amendment bill to the Government Organization Act, which includes the reorganization plan for the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the KDCA, will be open for legislative notice starting from the 3rd, and the government plans to swiftly complete the legislative process so that it can be discussed in the 21st National Assembly, which will convene soon.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Jin Young said, "I ask for the National Assembly's special attention and active cooperation so that the partial amendment bill to the Government Organization Act can be promptly reviewed and passed," adding, "We will establish a more robust infectious disease response system to wisely overcome the COVID-19 crisis and protect the people safely from future infectious disease threats."