Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Infectious Disease Big Data: Opening, Integration, Outcomes, and Future Directions.

OBJECTIVES

The recurring emergence of novel infectious diseases highlights the need for evidence-based policies grounded in real-world data. This study aimed to examine the strategies of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) in establishing and opening up infectious disease big data and to analyze their policy implications.

METHODS

The KDCA developed the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency-COVID19-National Health Insurance Service (K-COV-N) cohort by linking coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and vaccination records with the National Health Insurance Service data, providing access to researchers since 2022. In 2024, the Infectious Disease Big Data Platform was launched, releasing standardized and anonymized datasets for 64 notifiable diseases. In addition, the Infectious Disease Statistics Dashboard and open application programming interface via the Public Data Portal have enhanced accessibility for both researchers and the public.

RESULTS

These open data resources have enabled diverse studies, including vaccine effectiveness evaluation, risk analysis for vulnerable populations, post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (long COVID) research, and assessment of healthcare system impacts. Furthermore, they bridged research and policy practices, supporting the transition toward preventive health policies and strengthening infectious disease response capacity.

CONCLUSIONS

The infectious disease big data initiatives of the KDCA have functioned as a core infrastructure for evidence-informed policy-making. Integrating additional domains, such as chronic diseases, national health surveys, injuries, and genomics, and applying artificial intelligence-enabled deep analytics and prediction will provide a stronger foundation for protecting population health and enhancing national health security.