Wang Hesheng, Administrator of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration (NDCPA), visited the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on April 26, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Building on the MOU, the NDCPA and KDCA pledged to collaborate on addressing future infectious disease threats during a bilateral meeting.

 *  KDCA has expanded cooperation with China by newly signing the MOU with NDCPA, following previous MOUs on cooperation with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) in 2013 and 2023.

The two government agencies discussed the progress of preparedness and response to emerging infectious diseases after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the preparedness and response status for climate change-related diseases, avian influenza, malaria, tuberculosis, among others.

Furthermore, the two health authorities have agreed to establish a direct line of communication between the heads of the two agencies to strengthen health security within the Asian region, complementing cooperation between Korea and China. Additionally, they have committed to swift emergency responses through scheduled meetings and direct communication channels among Korea, Japan, and China in the future.

 “China is a highly valuable partner, and we are delighted to have the chance to deepen our collaboration with the NDCPA,” said KDCA Commissioner Youngmee Jee. “As both organizations have undergone significant changes since the COVID-19 pandemic, we anticipate a closer working relationship in the future and the opportunity to share our experiences and strategies with other countries that intend to establish dedicated disease control organizations.”