Act on the Prevention and Management of Injuries
What is an injury?
- This refers to physical, mental, and health problems caused by external risk factors such as various accidents, disasters, or poisoning, excluding diseases. It is a significant public health issue, with 2.88 million people experiencing injuries annually, and deaths due to injuries ranking as the fourth leading cause of all deaths.
Significance of the Legislation
- The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency approaches injuries not as "unintended accidents" but as "preventable health problems." To establish a national injury prevention and management system in cooperation with central administrative agencies, local governments, and experts in various fields, the "Act on the Prevention and Management of Injuries" will be enforced from January 24, 2025.
Major Promotional Projects
- National Injury Management Committee: The National Injury Management Committee (Chairperson: Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency) will be formed with the participation of 8 government ministries* related to major injury fields and injury-related experts to deliberate on major matters concerning the promotion of national injury prevention and management policies, such as the national injury management system and institutions, as well as the establishment of the Comprehensive Plan for Injury Management. * Ministry of Education, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, National Fire Agency, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency
- Establishment and Announcement of the Comprehensive Plan for Injury Management: The 1st Comprehensive Plan for Injury Management (’26–’30) will be established and is scheduled to be announced in September 2025.
Main Content of the "Act on the Prevention and Management of Injuries"
| Article | Main Content |
|---|---|
| Article 1 | (Purpose) To contribute to the promotion of national health by reducing individual suffering, damage, and social burden caused by injuries |
| Article 2 | (Definitions)
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| Article 3 | (Responsibilities of the State, etc.)
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| Article 4 | (Injury Prevention Day) Designated as November 1 to enhance public understanding and form a national consensus. |
| Article 5 | (Relationship with Other Acts) Injury management shall be governed by this Act, except as otherwise provided in other laws. |
| Article 6 | (Comprehensive Plan for Injury Management) The Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency shall establish and notify a comprehensive plan every 5 years, and related ministries and local governments shall establish and evaluate annual implementation plans. |
| Article 7 | (National Injury Management Committee) A committee under the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency shall be operated to deliberate on the establishment of the comprehensive plan, etc., with the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency as the chairperson. |
| Article 8 | (Injury Research Projects) The Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency shall implement injury research projects and strive to promote international cooperation. |
| Article 9 | (Injury Investigation and Statistics Projects) The Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency shall collect and analyze data on the risk factors for injury occurrence and the occurrence, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries, and produce statistics such as injury incidence, mortality, and disability rates. |
| Article 10 | (Injury Prevention Projects) The Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and provincial governors shall conduct information collection, information distribution and counseling, development of educational materials and education/public relations, and workforce training. |
| Article 11 | (Investigation of Injury Causes) The Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency may conduct investigations to identify risk factors when deemed necessary. |
| Article 12 | (Central Injury Management Center) The Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency shall establish and operate the center for effective injury management, and may entrust its operation to another party. |
| Article 13 | (Regional Injury Management Centers) Provincial governors shall establish and operate the centers in consultation with the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and shall support research/investigation and statistics projects, identify/monitor and control risk factors, provide education/public relations, and support cause investigations. |