Public-Private Joint Forum on Exploring Sustainable and Effective Pandemic Response Strategies

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), in collaboration with the National Academy of Medicine of Korea, held the “Public-Private Joint Forum on Developing Sustainable and Effective Pandemic Response Strategies” on January 22, 2026.

The forum was organized to gather expert insights from the field of public health response, vaccine and therapeutics development, and international cooperation based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, while reviewing national preparedness and response strategies for future public health crises.

Opening Remarks by KDCA Commissioner Seung-kwan Lim

The keynote speech, titled “Are We Ready for the Next Pandemic?”, explored potential emerging infectious disease threats, future research priorities, and preparedness and response strategies centered on public health measures such as TTIQ^* and NPI^*s, while also considering the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights. * TTIQ: Testing, Tracing, Isolation, and Quarantine
NPI: Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions
During the public health response session, participants discussed ways to predict and prepare for the social and economic impacts of future pandemics. They also reviewed the current status and challenges of rapid diagnostic systems, as well as plans to further advance the infectious disease crisis management system. The session on vaccines and therapeutics focused on the possibility of developing vaccine within 100 days, clinical experience and lessons learned from therapeutic development, and Research and Development (R&D) strategies to prepare for future infectious disease crises.

Finally, the forum shared KDCA’s achievements and future plans in the field of international cooperation. KDCA highlighted that Korea’s successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been highly recognized by the international community, leading to continued visits from countries seeking to learn lessons. The agency also introduced major initiatives demonstrating Korea’s advanced health security system and capabilities, including technical support for infectious disease response in countries with vulnerable health systems and international development cooperation projects aimed at strengthening global health security.

Moving forward, KDCA reaffirmed its commitment to advancing pandemic preparedness, response, and resilient systems through continued public-private dialogue and active engagement with experts across diverse sectors, while proactively responding to future infectious disease threats.