[Summarized version of the press release]

Experts Discuss KDCA’s Medium- and Long-term Strategic Plan against Next Pandemic

Osong, 4^rd May 2023 ━ The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) held an experts discussion on the KDCA’s medium- and long-term strategic plan against the next pandemic caused by another emerging infectious disease.

The purpose of the discussion is to gather a wide range of opinions from experts and the news media about the medium- and long-term strategic plan that the KDCA has developed through consultations with the experts advisory committee, the March 23^rd public discussion, and the advisory committee for the infectious disease crisis response. Such consultations were based on the evaluation for the COVID-19 response that the KDCA had made for the past three years.

Today’s experts discussion was made with participation of a panel of 10 experts such as university professors specializing in infectious diseases, researchers from research institutes, a lawyer, and a journalist, as well as officials from the health authorities.

Lim Sookyoung, Director General for the Bureau of Infectious Disease Emergency Preparedness and Response, explained about the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 assessment and said: “Rather than having a binary perception that there are two separate cycles of a pandemic period and a period of the end of a pandemic, we need to have a paradigm shift by strengthening capabilities for preparedness and response against the entire cycle that includes both a period of a pandemic and a period of an inter-pandemic.”

Lim added: “To prepare for the next pandemic that is more serious and deadlier than COVID-19, we need to establish a response system that can handle one million confirmed cases per day, as well as establish a system of securing vaccines and therapeutics within a short period of 100 or 200 days of an infectious disease outbreak. We also need to strengthen protection for vulnerable populations.” 

Lim went on to explain 10 key projects in five areas of surveillance and prevention, preparedness and response, recovery, infrastructure establishment, and research and development.

* For detailed information, please refer to the press release written in the Korean language in the file attached below.