Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is an organisation under South Korean Ministry of Welfare and Health responsible for organ transplant and 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 Technnology Administration Complex in Cheongju. The organisation is led by vice-ministerial-level Director of KCDC.

History

Its history is in line with the major infectious disease outbreaks in South Korea. After SARS outbreak in 2003, then-National Institute of Health was restructured to American CDC-like KCDC. And after MERS outbreak in 2015, the head of KCDC was promoted to vice-ministerial-level position. Given the 2020 general election where all major parties promised raising KCDC's autonomy by making it "Disease Control and Prevention Administration " and lessons learned from Covid-19 outbreak, there have been rumors that there will be some sort of changes to the organisation in the foreseeable future.
In his special public address to mark his third year in office on 10th May 2020, President Moon Jae-in announced that he will seek for legislation revision to lift the status of the KCDC to the administration.

Organization

Director of KCDC