[Summary] "Properly Upgrade the Disease Control Agency" Infectious Disease Expert Professor Lee Jae-gap's Cheong Wa Dae National Petition

Plan to Transfer Infectious Disease Research Center to Ministry of Health and Welfare
"Disease Control Agency Elevation Must Be Done Properly" Criticism

A public petition post by Professor Lee Jae-gap of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital. Photo by Cheongwadae National Petition website bulletin board screen capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Su-wan] As the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), which oversaw the COVID-19 prevention efforts, was elevated from an organization under the Ministry of Health and Welfare to an independent agency, a public petition has emerged calling for the proper elevation of the KDCA.

There are concerns that with the transfer of the National Institute of Health, previously under the KDCA, to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the KDCA’s budget and manpower could actually be reduced compared to before.

Professor Lee Jae-gap of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital posted a petition titled "Properly Elevate the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency" on the Blue House’s public petition board on the 3rd. As of 7 a.m. on the 5th, the petition had garnered 24,739 signatures.

Professor Lee stated, "I warmly welcome the elevation of the KDCA," but also pointed out, "There are absurd elements included in the elevation plan announced by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety."

He continued, "The plan to split the National Institute of Health, which performed fundamental research functions such as basic infectious disease research, experimental research, and vaccine research under the KDCA, expand it into the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and transfer it to the Ministry of Health and Welfare must be withdrawn."

He criticized, "How many infectious disease experts does the Ministry of Health and Welfare have to operate the National Institute of Health and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases?"

He further questioned, "Are they trying to continue the bad practice of sending officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, who are stuck in personnel bottlenecks, to the positions of director and manager at the National Institute of Health and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases?"

Finally, he emphasized, "The National Institute of Health and the newly established National Institute of Infectious Diseases should remain under the KDCA to create synergy in strengthening infectious disease preparedness capabilities," adding, "It is time to firmly encourage and support the KDCA so that it can lead Korea’s infectious disease policies comprehensively, including policy, prevention, and research functions, becoming the main force of K-quarantine."

Earlier, Professor Lee criticized on his Facebook, "It seems the Ministry of Health and Welfare did not want to simply let go when elevating the KDCA to an agency. While claiming to create a center for infectious disease response, they have not transferred major infectious disease policy functions to the KDCA," and added, "It is strange to take the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, which was split off with one-third of the KDCA’s personnel, to the Ministry of Health and Welfare."

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters (Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency), is holding a regular briefing on the domestic occurrence status of COVID-19 and the interim investigation results of confirmed patients on the afternoon of the 29th of last month at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency in Cheongju, Chungbuk. Photo by Yonhap News

In response, the government explained that the transfer of the National Institute of Health to the Ministry of Health and Welfare is because it is responsible for research across health and medical fields, including infectious diseases, bio, and medical equipment.

On the 4th, Lim In-taek, Director of the Health Industry Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, explained at a regular briefing, "The National Institute of Health does not only conduct infectious disease research. The policy decision to move the National Institute of Health under the Ministry of Health and Welfare was made to strengthen the overall bio-health industry foundation capabilities, including stem cell research."

Meanwhile, Jeong Eun-kyung, Director of the KDCA, agreed, saying, "Since the National Institute of Health is responsible for research across health and medical fields, it was deemed necessary to transfer it under the Ministry of Health and Welfare," but emphasized, "Within the KDCA, the organization and personnel involved in epidemiological investigations and policies related to infectious disease prevention and eradication must be expanded."

On the other hand, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 3rd a plan to reorganize the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, formerly under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, into an independent central administrative agency. This reflects the president’s will expressed in a special speech on the 10th marking the third anniversary of his inauguration to drastically strengthen infectious disease response capabilities and create a safer Republic of Korea.

The newly established KDCA will independently manage its budget, personnel, and organization, and will have substantial authority to perform policy and execution functions related to infectious diseases. This aims to enhance infectious disease response capabilities by strengthening the independence and expertise of the KDCA amid the prolonged COVID-19 situation.

Additionally, to strengthen community-level quarantine capabilities, regional disease response centers will be established under the KDCA to support epidemiological investigations, disease investigation analysis, and other community quarantine functions.

However, even for infectious disease-related tasks, functions that require cooperation among multiple ministries or are closely related to the health care system will continue to be performed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for efficient task execution.