▲ Korea Pest Control Association / President Hong Won-su

Advent of a new virus raised people’s awareness on importance of quarantine. K-Quarantine undoubtedly has been received as THE role model globally. It is a result of the government and citizen’s cooperation as well as related organizations unsparing support and effort. And the Korea Pest Control Association is among them.

Set sail in 1979, the association has contributed to advancement of national quarantine before and after a disease outbreak. It is affiliated as a non-profit organization to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCPA). Members of the association has fought hard front line against MERS, Zika virus and COVID-19 and also engaged in the regions affected by natural disasters. 

The association runs 17 offices nationwide and carries out related research, training, exchanges home and abroad, conduct exams and issues certificates. The association also carries out cooperative projects with the central government and Seoul Metropolitan City and publishes quarantine guidelines and books. In 2019, the association held the FAOPMA-Pest Summit in Daejeon alongside an exhibition which drew substantial results and positive responses.

To meet the increasing market demand for quarantine goods, the association asked support to the Ministry of Health and Welfare which responded by increasing approvals to 77 quarantine chemicals from 28 and also appointing the association as an official supply of public masks. 

Association president Hong Won-su says “It is very important for individuals to wear masks, wash hands and keep social distancing in order to keep them safe from COVID-19. At the same time, quarantine should be made on a regular basis by quarantine specialists.”

He adds “The record book of quarantine in each building still needs an improvement. It will be better if you introduce an integrated management system so that the record and quarantine is digitally and more effectively managed.”

He also points out that current law enforces new employees to any quarantine business should receive quarantine training within 6 months which is not followed strictly, adding therefore, building cooperation system between individual quarantine business and the association is urgently needed alongside introducing a national quarantine certificate.

As part of this effort, the association is set to open a quarantine research center accompanied by a training center October this year. The center, tentatively named Korea Quarantine Research Center, is to provide training, study materials and various related programs and projects.

Hong emphasizes “It is important that quarantine experts must hold a national certificate. In a long term perspective, it is safer and more systematic and it can prevent abuse of chemicals. In this regard, the association will keep working hard to bring these national training and certificate systems.”

The Korea Pest Control Association currently runs 24/7 system to dispatch a team to contaminated areas and the route of affected patients.