2nd Comprehensive Plan for Pathogen Resource Management Established: "Strategic Acquisition and Utilization"

Plan to Establish a Full-Cycle Management System by 2030

"Enhancing Infectious Disease Response and Strengthening Industry Competitiveness"

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on June 25 that it has established the “2nd Comprehensive Plan for Pathogen Resource Management,” which outlines the direction and tasks of pathogen resource management policy for the next five years (2026–2030), following the deliberation and resolution of the Pathogen Resource Review Committee the previous day.

This comprehensive plan was prepared to respond to the changing environment, including the increased risk of emerging infectious diseases and intensifying competition in the biohealth industry, building upon the achievements of the 1st Comprehensive Plan (2021–2025).

Over the next five years, the KDCA aims to advance the pathogen resource management system by securing 200 national strategic pathogen resources, establishing 1,000 pathogen resource analysis data sets, and producing 100 research papers and patents.

Under the vision of “Advancing the Pathogen Resource Management Ecosystem to Promote Public Health and Strengthen Competitiveness in the Biohealth Industry,” the comprehensive plan is structured around three core strategies and nine key initiatives, with the goal of establishing a system for the strategic acquisition, management, and utilization of pathogen resources.

The key initiatives focus on building a full-cycle management system, from securing pathogen resources to their research and industrial application. In particular, the plan calls for the proactive acquisition of pathogen resources that can be quickly utilized in the event of emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19, as well as the establishment of an analysis system and integrated management system based on genetic and characteristic information, thereby laying the foundation for vaccine and therapeutic development.

Seungkwan Lim, Commissioner of the KDCA, stated, “The 2nd Comprehensive Plan is a mid- to long-term policy roadmap designed to further advance the full-cycle management system for national strategic pathogen resources, from acquisition to utilization. We will do our utmost to enhance our capabilities to respond to infectious diseases and contribute to strengthening competitiveness in the biohealth industry by strategically securing high-risk, high-demand pathogen resources and reinforcing international cooperation.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.