The government is fully launching an infectious disease response system based on "One Health," which integrates the management of people, animals, and the environment. To respond to complex infectious disease threats such as climate change, zoonoses, and antibiotic resistance, it is establishing a pan-government council to oversee infectious disease prevention and management policies.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said it held a launch ceremony for the "National One Health Infectious Disease Integrated Management Council" at the Government Sejong Convention Center on the 30th, followed by its first meeting.
One Health is the concept that human health is closely linked to the health of animals and the environment, and it is a pan-government strategy in which the human, animal, and environmental sectors work together to prevent and manage infectious diseases. As the risk of emerging infectious diseases grows due to factors such as climate change and the spread of antibiotic resistance, the importance of One Health-based responses is being emphasized in the international community.
The launch of this council is a follow-up measure to the revision of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. The revised law was promulgated in Dec. last year and took effect in Jun., establishing a pan-government implementation system to formulate and carry out an integrated management plan for infectious diseases based on One Health.
The council consists of about 30 members, including the Chairperson, the head of the agency, and officials at the Director General level or higher from 12 central administrative agencies—the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, Rural Development Administration, and the Korea Forest Service—and from 16 metropolitan and provincial governments.
Going forward, the council will serve as a pan-government consultative body that formulates an integrated infectious disease management plan based on One Health, identifies detailed implementation tasks, and discusses collaboration strategies such as joint projects and resource management across ministries. It will set up working-level councils by field—such as zoonoses, antibiotic resistance management, and waterborne and foodborne infectious diseases—to review specialized agenda items in advance and check implementation progress.
At the first meeting, members approved the council's composition and operating plan and shared plans to establish an integrated infectious disease management plan and the status of this year's One Health-related initiatives.
The agency plans to prepare an integrated infectious disease management plan to be reflected in the Fourth Basic Plan for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control (2028–2032), while also promoting the publication of an annual One Health report, expanded international cooperation, and training for public officials.
Im Seung-gwan, head of the agency, said, "With the launch of the National One Health Infectious Disease Integrated Management Council, a foundation has been laid for close communication and cooperation between relevant central administrative agencies and metropolitan and provincial governments," adding, "We will continue working to establish and implement effective infectious disease prevention and management policies at the pan-government level."