Systematic assessment of South Korea's capabilities to control COVID-19

Katelyn J. Yoo; Soonman Kwon; Yoonjung Choi; David M. Bishai

doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.02.011

Systematic assessment of South Korea's capabilities to control COVID-19

Katelyn J. Yoo, Soonman Kwon, Yoonjung Choi, David M. Bishai

School of Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

South Korea's COVID-19 control strategy has been widely emulated. Korea's ability to rapidly achieve disease control in early 2020 without a “Great Lockdown” despite its proximity to China and high population density make its achievement particularly intriguing. This paper helps explain Korea's pre-existing capabilities which enabled the rapid and effective implementation of its COVID-19 control strategies. A systematic assessment across multiple domains demonstrates that South Korea's advantages in controlling its epidemic are owed tremendously to legal and organizational reforms enacted after the MERS outbreak in 2015. Successful implementation of the Korean strategy required more than just a set of actions, measures and policies. It relied on a pre-existing legal framework, financing arrangements, governance and a workforce experienced in outbreak management.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	568-576
Number of pages	9
Journal	Health policy
Volume	125
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.02.011
State	Published - May 2021

Keywords

COVID-19
Lessons learned
MERS
Pre-exiting capabilities
Preparedness
Response
South Korea

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health Policy

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10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.02.011

Cite this

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title = "Systematic assessment of South Korea's capabilities to control COVID-19",

abstract = "South Korea's COVID-19 control strategy has been widely emulated. Korea's ability to rapidly achieve disease control in early 2020 without a “Great Lockdown” despite its proximity to China and high population density make its achievement particularly intriguing. This paper helps explain Korea's pre-existing capabilities which enabled the rapid and effective implementation of its COVID-19 control strategies. A systematic assessment across multiple domains demonstrates that South Korea's advantages in controlling its epidemic are owed tremendously to legal and organizational reforms enacted after the MERS outbreak in 2015. Successful implementation of the Korean strategy required more than just a set of actions, measures and policies. It relied on a pre-existing legal framework, financing arrangements, governance and a workforce experienced in outbreak management.",

keywords = "COVID-19, Lessons learned, MERS, Pre-exiting capabilities, Preparedness, Response, South Korea",

author = "Yoo, {Katelyn J.} and Soonman Kwon and Yoonjung Choi and Bishai, {David M.}",

note = "Funding Information: We are grateful for the support of DB from the Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Foundation (grant #78116). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2021",

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AU - Kwon, Soonman

AU - Choi, Yoonjung

AU - Bishai, David M.

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N2 - South Korea's COVID-19 control strategy has been widely emulated. Korea's ability to rapidly achieve disease control in early 2020 without a “Great Lockdown” despite its proximity to China and high population density make its achievement particularly intriguing. This paper helps explain Korea's pre-existing capabilities which enabled the rapid and effective implementation of its COVID-19 control strategies. A systematic assessment across multiple domains demonstrates that South Korea's advantages in controlling its epidemic are owed tremendously to legal and organizational reforms enacted after the MERS outbreak in 2015. Successful implementation of the Korean strategy required more than just a set of actions, measures and policies. It relied on a pre-existing legal framework, financing arrangements, governance and a workforce experienced in outbreak management.

AB - South Korea's COVID-19 control strategy has been widely emulated. Korea's ability to rapidly achieve disease control in early 2020 without a “Great Lockdown” despite its proximity to China and high population density make its achievement particularly intriguing. This paper helps explain Korea's pre-existing capabilities which enabled the rapid and effective implementation of its COVID-19 control strategies. A systematic assessment across multiple domains demonstrates that South Korea's advantages in controlling its epidemic are owed tremendously to legal and organizational reforms enacted after the MERS outbreak in 2015. Successful implementation of the Korean strategy required more than just a set of actions, measures and policies. It relied on a pre-existing legal framework, financing arrangements, governance and a workforce experienced in outbreak management.

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KW - Preparedness

KW - Response

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Systematic assessment of South Korea's capabilities to control COVID-19

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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