[Profile] Im Seungkwan, New KDCA Chief and Infectious Disease Expert Who Fought on the COVID-19 Frontlines

Infectious Disease Specialist... Led Gyeonggi Province's COVID-19 Response Team
"The Right Person to Support Government Efforts to Protect Lives and Safety"

Im Seungkwan, 51, who has been appointed as the new Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, is an infectious disease expert who stood at the forefront of regional quarantine efforts during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Seungkwan Lim, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency

Born in Seoul, the new commissioner Im graduated from the School of Medicine at Ajou University. After serving as a clinical instructor at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, he began working as an assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases at his alma mater's hospital in 2008. At Ajou University Hospital, he also served as the head of the Infection Control Office.

Since 2018, Im has served as the director of Anseong Hospital at the Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center. During the COVID-19 outbreak, he led the Gyeonggi Province COVID-19 Emergency Response Team, confronting the spread of infectious diseases.

Im is particularly known for being the first to propose a community-based response strategy to the government to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant while serving as the director of Anseong Hospital. As concerns about the "post-pandemic" era are being raised, Im has argued that, in terms of Korea's medical response to COVID-19, "rather than designating specific hospitals for infectious disease response, the system should move toward ensuring medical accessibility for COVID-19 patients and others within the universal healthcare system."

Currently, Im heads the Infectious Disease Research Planning Team at the National Medical Center. More recently, as the head of the Central Infectious Disease Hospital Establishment Promotion Team at the National Medical Center, he has been leading efforts to establish the Central Infectious Disease Hospital.

Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the presidential office, explained the background for appointing Im, stating, "With his experience leading on-site responses to COVID-19, he is the right person to support the government's efforts to protect the lives of the people."

▲Born in Seoul in 1974 ▲School of Medicine, Ajou University ▲Master's in Medicine, Graduate School of Ajou University ▲Assistant Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, Ajou University School of Medicine ▲Advisory Committee Member, Gyeonggi Province Infectious Disease Control Headquarters ▲Head of Infection Control Office, Ajou University Hospital ▲Director, Anseong Hospital, Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center ▲Head, Gyeonggi Province COVID-19 Emergency Response Team ▲Head, Infectious Disease Research Planning Team, National Medical Center ▲Head, Central Infectious Disease Hospital Establishment Promotion Team, National Medical Center