Infectious Disease Prevention Act Fully Revised... KCDC Holds Public Hearing

Baek Kyung-ran, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 28th that it held a public hearing for the comprehensive revision of the "Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act" (Infectious Disease Prevention Act). Although the Infectious Disease Prevention Act has been partially amended frequently during infectious disease outbreaks, this revision was prepared to systematically organize the overall legal principles and consistency for a more structured response to infectious diseases.

At the public hearing held at the LW Convention Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, experts from the KDCA, medical field, and legal academia shared and discussed overseas legislative cases and key issues.

Associate Professor Kim Jae-seon of Dongguk University Law School presented on the legislative systems during normal times and infectious disease crises in the United States, Germany, and Japan, infectious disease response governance, the legal basis for vaccination, vaccine damage compensation systems, and overseas legislative cases regarding information disclosure. Professor Yoon Tae-ho of Pusan National University College of Medicine proposed clearly separating routine infectious disease responses from outbreak situation responses and suggested revising overlapping regulations based on experiences responding to COVID-19.

The experts also discussed the scope of suspected infectious disease cases, the establishment of infectious disease emergency situations, and the composition of penalty provisions to maintain an effective quarantine system.

Commissioner Baek Kyung-ran stated, "We will actively review the opinions presented at the public hearing to set the direction for the comprehensive revision of the Infectious Disease Prevention Act," and added, "We will further collect opinions from related ministries and experts to prepare detailed legal provisions."