Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency
Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA; Korean: 질병관리청; Hanja: 疾病管理廳), formerly Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC, Korean: 질병관리본부; Hanja: 疾病管理本部), is an organization under the South Korean Ministry of Welfare and Health that is responsible for the advancement of public health by managing prevention, survey, quarantine, trial, and research on infectious diseases, chronic and rare illnesses and injuries. It was founded in December 2003 and is located in Osong Health Technology Administration Complex in Cheongju.[1] The organization is led by the vice-ministerial-level Commissioner of KDCA.[2][3]
Agency overview
December 18, 2003
September 12, 2020 (expanded)
- Central Health Centre (1949–1960)
- National Institute of Health (1960–1967)
- National Institute of Public Health Training (1967–1981)
- National Institute of Health (1981–2003)
- Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2003–2020)
187, Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea
1,476
- Jee Young-mi, Commissioner of Korea Disease Control and Prevention
- Choi Jong-kyun, Vice Commissioner
- Korea National Institute of Health (KNIH)
- Regional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- National Quarantine Station
Source:[6]
Its history is in line with the major infectious disease outbreaks in South Korea. After the SARS outbreak in 2003, the then-National Institute of Health was restructured to the American CDC-like KCDC. After the MERS outbreak in 2015, the head of KCDC was promoted to vice-ministerial level.[7]
Given the 2020 general election where all major parties promised raising KCDC's autonomy by lifting its status to "administration/agency (Korean: 청; Hanja: 廳)" and lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak, there have been rumors that there will be changes to the organisation in the near future.[7][8] In his special public address to mark his third year in office on 10 May 2020, President Moon Jae-in announced that he will seek revision of legislation to raise the status of the KCDC to the administration.[9]
On 12 September 2020, the KCDC expanded to an Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) with more autonomy and resources - most notably 42% increase in its staff number and its Center for Infectious Disease Research of KNIH becoming a research institute of KNIH.[10] Director of KCDC, Jeong Eun-kyeong, will continue lead the organisation as its first Commissioner.[11]