질본, 질병관리청 승격…문 대통령 "감염병 대응체계 획기적 진전"<br /><br />The K-C-D-C which has been South Korea's COVID-19 control tower will be upgraded to an independent agency and renamed the Disease Control and Prevention Administration.<br />The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the revised Government Organization Act,... which passed the National Assembly in August.<br />The move aimed at strengthening the body's expertise and independence will take effect from Saturday.<br />President Moon Jae-in, who chaired the meeting,... said it's a step forward in the fight against infectious diseases.<br />We will be able to raise our response system against infectious diseases and our public healthcare capacity, that's already being highly praised globally, to another level. I ask for a strengthened response system that can evolve on the upgraded body. We must overcome the critical resurgence of COVID-19 and control the situation stably as soon as possible.<br />Initially, under the health ministry,... the upgraded body will handle its own budget and personnel affairs,... as well as implement policies related to infectious diseases and carry out its own R&D.<br />Separately, the health ministry will also allow two vice ministers from the current one to bolster public healthcare efforts.<br />The first will oversee welfare, planning and coordination matters,... while the second will manage public health affairs.<br />
