Eugene: The Korean CDC

Posted 10:11 PM, August 02, 2006, by esyim

As I have investigated the emerging issues regarding North Korea, I have learned that that the South has already begun a number of programs to prepare for future reunification and also to serve the increasing number of North Koreans that are entering South Korea.

Nonetheless, I have encountered very little from the standpoint of public health that the South has been pursuing in this regard. Has the South begun designing strategies on how to change the Korean healthcare system in the event of reunification? Are there plans for immediate provision of care following reunification? Does the South have knowledge on the pressing health issues of the North?

To find some answers to these questions, I visited the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of Korea.

The Korean CDC was established with the following mission:

â€œKorea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) is newly established(in January 2004) to protect the public from various diseases and to foster safe and healthful environments. To this end, we conduct research to identify etiology and to find effective control, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Our primary goal for the 21st century is to confront emerging and reemerging diseases with more advanced and specialized surveillance system, protect the health of all Koreans and alleviate disease burden. In an attempt to achieve our goal, we build a close partnership with governmental agencies, international organizations, research institutes, private health corporations and academic society. At KCDC, we pledge to do our best to enhance the quality of life and the health of all Koreans.â€?

I met today with Dr. Young J. Hur, the Director of the division of Epidemic Intelligence at the Korean CDC. As a part of its work in South Korea, the division engages specifically with the public health issues of North Koreans in the South.

The 6,000+ North Koreans that have entered the South are not only informative indicators of how best to treat the growing population of migrants, but they also provide vital information about the health status of North Koreans. Considering the highly-restricted nature of this population, this information is instructive on many levels.

To learn more about the health of North Koreans, the Korean CDC screens each refugee as they enter South Korea. More specifically, a complete medical screening is provided for the refugees as they go through more general screening at Dae Dong Gong Sa during their first two weeks in the South. These screenings provide vital information for the government to best provide for the pressing health needs of this migrant population and also give a glimpse into the situation of their North Korean compatriots.

One of the research laboratories of the Korean CDC