• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.710-717
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• 2012

A bioterrorism attack(BT) attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and toxins used to cause illness or death in people, animal, and plants. Therefore, the healthcare workers are those who will take the main role in BT outbreak situations. The purpose of this study is to investigate current status of education for BT preparedness and response in health-related colleges. It is important to provide the BT preparedness and response to the health-allied students in case of unexpected BT outbreak. The questionnaires were collected from March 10 to June 10 in 2007 via mai l. Approximately 97.6% of the health-related professors answered that they had no experience of bioterrorism education. The contents of the bioterrorism curricula should contain the followings : definition and characteristics of the emergency and disaster, definition of bioterrorism, history of bioterrorism, general characteristics of bioterrorism, etiological agents of bioterrorism, bioterrorism response, systematic response, and medical response. Through these data, we will develop the disaster and bioterrorism preparedness curricula.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2008

Objectives: Bioterrorism (BT) preparedness and response plans are particularly important among healthcare workers who will be among the first involved in the outbreak situations. This study was conducted to evaluate the current status of education for BT preparedness and response in health care-related colleges/junior colleges and to develop learning objectives for use in their regular curricula. Methods: We surveyed all medical colleges/schools, colleges/junior colleges that train nurses, emergency medical technicians or clinical pathologists, and 10% (randomly selected) of them that train general hygienists in Korea. The survey was conducted via mail from March to July of 2007. We surveyed 35 experts to determine if there was a consensus of learning objectives among healthcare workers. Results: Only 31.3% of medical colleges/schools and 13.3% of nursing colleges/junior colleges had education programs that included BT preparedness and responses in their curricula. The most common reason given for the lack of BT educational programs was 'There is not much need for education regarding BT preparedness and response in Korea'. None of the colleges/junior colleges that train clinical pathologists, or general hygienists had an education program for BT response. After evaluating the expert opinions, we developed individual learning objectives designed specifically for educational institutions. Conclusions: There were only a few colleges/junior colleges that enforce the requirement to provide education for BT preparedness and response in curricula. It is necessary to raise the perception of BT preparedness and response to induce the schools to provide such programs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.209-213
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• 2008

Following the Anthrax bioterrorism attacks in the US in 2001, the Korean government established comprehensive countermeasures against bioterrorism. These measures included the government assuming management of all infectious agents that cause diseases, including smallpox, anthrax, plaque, botulism, and the causative agents of viral hemorrhagic fevers (ebola fever, marburg fever, and lassa fever) for national security. In addition, the Korean government is reinforcing the ability to prepare and respond to bioterrorism. Some of the measures being implemented include revising the laws and guidelines that apply to the use of infectious agents, the construction and operation of dual surveillance systems for bioterrorism, stockpiling and managing products necessary to respond to an emergency (smallpox vaccine, antibiotics, etc.) and vigorously training emergency room staff and heath workers to ensure they can respond appropriately. In addition, the government's measures include improved public relations, building and maintaining international cooperation, and developing new vaccines and drugs for treatments of infectious agents used to create bioweapons.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.214-218
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• 2008

Bioterrorism events have worldwide impacts, not only in terms of security and public health policy, but also in other related sectors. Many countries, including Korea, have set up new administrative and operational structures and adapted their preparedness and response plans in order to deal with new kinds of threats. Korea has dual surveillance systems for the early detection of bioterrorism. The first is syndromic surveillance that typically monitors non-specific clinical information that may indicate possible bioterrorism-associated diseases before specific diagnoses are made. The other is infectious disease specialist network that diagnoses and responds to specific illnesses caused by intentional release of biologic agents. Infectious disease physicians, clinical microbiologists, and infection control professionals play critical and complementary roles in these networks. Infectious disease specialists should develop practical and realistic response plans for their institutions in partnership with local and state health departments, in preparation for a real or suspected bioterrorism attack.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.73-89
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• 2005

The disaster preparedness system in Korea has been developed in spite of many obstacles, but there are still many problems for response to newly emerging terrorisms due to the existing problems of disaster response system. The newly emerging terrorism in 21th century like biochemical terrorism has made us focus on terrorism preparedness, but health and medical aspect of terrorism has been overlooked. The health disaster system is more necessary for 21th terrorism response as well as the disaster engineering, economic and administrative aspects. The disaster preparedness system for bioterrorism has been developed by Ministry of Health with syndromic surveillance system and no case has been found in Korea yet and the resources of personnel and equipment as decontamination system in medical facilities are lacking in case of chemical terrorism. So through the multiple access method reflecting the risk factors in real terrorism field and human based health disaster concept, the disaster preparedness and response system to make up for the weak point should be suggested.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.442-454
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• 2017

Biological weapon is manipulated and produced from microorganisms such as bacteria, virus, rickettsia, fungi etc. It is classified as one of the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) along with chemical weapon and radiological weapon. Biological weapon has a number of operational advantages over the other WMDs including ease of development and production, low cost and possibility of covert dissemination. In this study we analyze the history of biological weapon's development and the existing biological threats. Then, we predict the social impact of biological attack based on the physical properties of biological agent and infection mechanisms. By analyzing the recognition, dispersion pattern of agents, characteristics of the diseases in the biological weapon related historical events such as Sverdlovsk anthrax accident, 2001 anthrax attack, we found out some of the facts that biological attack would not likely to be recognized rapidly, produce large number of the exposed, increase number of paients who suffed from severe respiratory illness. It would lead the public health and medical service providers to be struggled with hugh burden. Base on the facts that we found from this case study, we suggested the main capabilities of public health required to respond to bioterrorism event efficiently. Syndromic surveillance and other reporting system need to be operated effeciently so that any suspicious event should be detected promptly. the pathogen which suspected to be used should be identified through laboratory diagnostic system. It is critical for the public health agency to define potentially exposed population under close cooperation with law enforcement agencies. Lastly, massive prophylaxis should be provided rapidly to the people at need by operating human and material resources effeciently. If those capacities of public health are consistantly fortified we would be able to deal with threat of bioterrorism successfully.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.307-307
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• 2005

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.22
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• pp.113-144
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• 2010

Bioterrorism is becoming more attractive to terrorist groups owing to the dramatic increase in the utility and lethality of biological weapons in line with today's cutting-edge biological science and technology. The Republic of Korea is facing both internal and external terrorist threats, as well as the possible biological warfare by North Korea. Therefore, it is essential to establish an effective bioterrorism response system in the ROK. In order to come up with the adequate response system for the ROK, an in-depth study has been conducted on the current bioterrorism response system of the U.S. whose preparedness is considered relatively adamant. As a result, the following facts have been found: (1)the legislation with regard to bioterrorism has been established or amended according to the current situation in the U.S., (2)the counter terrorism activities have been integrated with the Department of the Homeland Security as the central agency in order to maximize the national CT capacity, (3)Specific procedures and instructions to cope with bioterrorism have been made into manuals so as to enhance the working-level response capabilities. Next, the analysis on the ROK's bioterrorism response system has been performed in various categories, including the legislation system, task role distribution, cooperative relations, and resource application. It turned out that the ROK's legislation basis is relatively weak and it lacks the apparatus to integrate the bioterrorism response activities on the national level. The shortage of the adequate response facilities and resources, as well as the poor management of manpower have also emerged as problems that hinder the effective CT implementations. Through an analytical and comparative study of the U.S. and the ROK systems, this paper presents several ways to ameliorate improve the current system in the ROK as follows: (1)establish the anti-terrorism law, which would be the basic legal basis for the bioterrorism-related matters; and make revisions to the disaster-related legislation, relevant to bioterrorism response activities, (2)establish an integrated body that has a powerful authority to coordinate the relevant CT agencies; and converge the decentralized functions to maximize the overall response capacity, (3)install the laboratories with a high biosafety level and secure enough of the strategic medical stock-pile, (4)enhance the ability of the inexperienced response personnel by providing with a manual that has detailed instructions.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.308-314
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• 2018

Injury is a serious problem that not only causes death but also significantly degrades the quality of life of the people and causes loss of socioeconomic opportunities and costs. Damage occurs as a result of an accident. Among them, natural disasters and artificial disasters take lives of many people in a short time and threaten their physical and mental health. The United States has responded to the disaster by establishing relevant laws and regulations and a response system with the recognition that health is recognised soon to be as national security in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Katrina disaster. It is necessary to build a knowledge infrastructure to train disaster response experts in public health area and to have health competence to cope with disasters.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.309-309
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• 2005