Opening of the National Wildlife Disease Control Center in Gwangju

Gwangju City, First Proposal for Establishment and Successful Attraction of Construction to the Ministry of Environment

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced that the National Wildlife Disease Management Institute, a research institution specializing in wildlife diseases under the Ministry of Environment, held an opening ceremony on the 29th at its office in Samgeo-dong, Gwangsan-gu, and has begun its operations.

Composed of 33 members across three teams?the Disease Surveillance Team, Disease Response Team, and Disease Research Team?the National Wildlife Disease Management Institute monitors and manages wildlife, serving as the national control tower for systematic research and infection prevention.

Amid growing concerns over emerging infectious diseases originating from wildlife, such as MERS and COVID-19, the institute will be responsible for crisis response including disease surveillance, epidemiological investigations, and quarantine of wildlife like migratory birds and wild boars, as well as sample diagnosis, analysis, and technology development.

Since 2011, Gwangju City has consistently urged the government to establish a national institution for wildlife disease management due to the rapid increase in damages from African swine fever, avian influenza, and foot-and-mouth disease. In 2014, the Ministry of Environment conducted a feasibility study on the site, recognizing Gwangju’s advantages such as ▲major migratory bird routes ▲research personnel from Chonnam National University College of Veterinary Medicine and GIST ▲domestic and international accessibility via KTX and Gwangju-Muan Airport, ultimately selecting Gwangju as the final candidate site.

Subsequently, Gwangju City established an organic cooperative system by dispatching experts to the Ministry of Environment and made every effort to ensure the stable establishment of the national institution by selecting the optimal site and supporting administrative procedures.

The launch of the National Wildlife Disease Management Institute is a timely task in preparation for the post-COVID era, expected to contribute to securing the health of people and ecosystems through systematic and professional responses to wildlife diseases.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said in his congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony, “The National Wildlife Disease Management Institute is the nation’s first institution to oversee wildlife disease management nationwide and will serve as the control tower overseeing infectious disease response systems and quarantine policies.” He added, “We will actively support the institute so that it can establish itself as a core national institution responsible for the lives and safety of the people.”