Directions for Establishing a Korean National One Health Joint Plan of Action: Focusing on Zoonotic Disease Preparedness and Response.

OBJECTIVES

This study proposes directions for establishing a Korean National One Health Joint Plan of Action to address health threats arising from complex interactions among humans, animals, and the environment, with a particular focus on zoonotic disease preparedness and response.

METHODS

This study analyzed the six Action Tracks outlined in the One Health Joint Plan of Action proposed by the Quadripartite organizations, comprising the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Organization for Animal Health, and United Nations Environment Programme. Considering the domestic administrative structures and institutional context of the Republic of Korea (ROK), this study focused on Action Tracks 2 and 3, which are directly associated with zoonotic disease preparedness, prevention, and response.

RESULTS

This study demonstrated that responses to zoonotic and vector-borne diseases should move beyond traditional single-sector approaches and evolve into integrated response models based on multisectoral collaborative governance, interconnected surveillance systems linking human, animal, and environmental sectors, and community-based risk management frameworks. Furthermore, the proposed implementation directions provide an institutional foundation for transforming the current response system from a reactive, post-event framework into a preventive and risk-based management system.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contextualized the international One Health Joint Plan of Action within the ROK's domestic zoonotic disease response framework. The proposed implementation strategies may provide policy evidence for establishing a national One Health governance framework that integrates prevention, early detection, and risk management through coordinated intersectoral roles and institutional collaboration.