From Policy Foundation to System Implementation: First-year Achievements and Future Directions of Republic of Korea's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

초록

This study reviews the institutional development of injury management policy in the Republic of Korea (ROK) and examines the roles and first-year achievements of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), following the enforcement of the "Act on the Prevention and Management of Injuries." Policy documents, legal frameworks, national injury data systems, and relevant literature were analyzed for major policy changes since the 2000s. The expansion of national injury surveillance, the accumulation of injury statistics, and the policy basis for establishing the NCIPC were specifically emphasized. ROK's injury management policy was initially fragmented across sectors. Since the 2010s, the expansion of national injury surveillance systems and the accumulation of standardized statistics have contributed to the recognition of injury prevention as an independent public health domain. The "Act on the Prevention and Management of Injuries" (enacted in 2024 and enforced in 2025) established the legal foundation for a coordinated national system, including the National Injury Management Committee and NCIPC. In 2025, key milestones included the assigning the entrusted institution for NCIPC operation and finalizing the First Comprehensive Injury Management Plan (2026-2030). The NCIPC's first-year operations represent a critical transition from policy formulation to system implementation. The NCIPC is expected to function as a central platform for injury surveillance, statistical production, policy support, workforce development, public communication, and multisectoral coordination. Its role will be further strengthened by implementing and evaluating national and regional injury management plans. Copyright © Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

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