The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has announced a budget exceeding 1.4 trillion won for the upcoming year. This budget focuses on advanced vaccine research and development to prepare for the next potential pandemic and aims to enhance the quality of vaccines provided for free to youth and seniors.
On September 1, KCDC revealed its 2027 budget plan of 1.4347 trillion won, an increase of 988 billion won (7.4%) from this year's budget of 1.3359 trillion won. The budget emphasizes strengthening the national crisis management system to address infectious diseases and chronic illnesses that threaten daily life.
Quality of Free Vaccines for Youth and Seniors to Improve
A significant change will be the upgrade of the 'national vaccination program' for youth and seniors. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine will be replaced with the '9-valent vaccine,' which can prevent nine types of viruses, doubling the previous four types and significantly enhancing cancer prevention effectiveness. Additionally, the age for male youth eligible for the free vaccine will be expanded from 12 to 13 years.
The vaccine for pneumococcus, which poses a threat to seniors, will also be upgraded to a 'conjugate vaccine (PCV)' that offers broader protection and longer-lasting defense compared to the previous polysaccharide vaccine. Furthermore, the age limit for free influenza vaccinations for school-aged children will be raised from 14 to 15 years.
Preparing for the Next Pandemic with Antiviral Stockpiles and AI Vaccine Development
KCDC is also establishing a robust defense against potential new infectious diseases similar to the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency plans to invest 25.5 billion won to proactively purchase and stockpile antiviral medications to treat patients and prevent the spread of new influenza and other domestic infectious diseases. Additionally, KCDC will acquire personal protective equipment worth 5 billion won to protect healthcare workers fighting against viruses.
Investment in research and development (R&D) for future medical technologies will also see a significant increase. KCDC will allocate 8 billion won to establish the 'Korean Pandemic Preparedness Engine (K-AI PPX),' which utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze new viral pathogens and rapidly design vaccines.
Moreover, 40.5 billion won will be designated for the development of next-generation mRNA vaccine platforms, and for the first time, 1.5 billion won will be allocated for the development of domestically produced mRNA antibody treatments.
Enhanced Surveillance for Disease-Carrying Mosquitoes and Ticks Amid Climate Change
As climate change leads to an increase in disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks, KCDC will expand its real-time surveillance network from seven to over ten locations. A new specialized monitoring center will focus on analyzing vectors entering the country to prevent the early introduction of unfamiliar infectious diseases.
In addition, KCDC will support monitoring efforts at approximately 530 emergency rooms for heat-related and cold-related illnesses, enhancing real-time monitoring systems, including the development of predictive models for heat-related illnesses. An investment of 400 million won is planned to conduct in-depth monitoring of heatwave impacts and accurately assess their characteristics.
Im Seung-kwan, head of KCDC, stated, “We are focusing on strengthening our core functions, including the transition to next-generation vaccines, enhancing the coverage of national vaccination programs, and improving the crisis management system for new infectious diseases. We will ensure the safety and health of the public against various health threats, including the next pandemic.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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