Article 1(Purpose) #
The purpose of this Act is to contribute to the promotion of public health, environmental conservation, and the safety of the people from disasters related to health and the environment by establishing public health and environment research institutes and reasonably operating inspection and research affairs regarding health and the environment. <Amended on Feb. 6, 2024>
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]
Article 2(Establishment) #
(1) A public health and environment research institute (hereinafter referred to as "research institute") shall be established in the Special Metropolitan City and each Metropolitan City, Do, Special Self-Governing City, and Special Self-Governing Province. <Amended on Aug. 17, 2021>
(2) Matters necessary for the establishment of a research institute shall be prescribed by ordinance of the local government concerned.
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]
Article 3(Establishment of branch institutes) #
If the Special Metropolitan City Mayor or a Metropolitan City Mayor, a Special Self-Governing City Mayor, a Do Governor, or a Special Self-Governing Province Governor (hereinafter referred to as a "Mayor/Do Governor") deems necessary in consideration of the population within his or her jurisdiction, workload, local circumstances, etc., he or she may establish branch institutes of the research institute in the region by ordinance of the relevant local government. <Amended on Aug. 17, 2021>
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]
Article 4(Prohibition of use of similar name) #
No person, other than a research institute under this Act, shall use the name, "public health and environment research institute" or any similar name.
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]
Article 5(Business activities) #
A research institute shall perform the following duties to achieve the purpose stated in Article 1: <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Jun. 4, 2013; Jan. 17, 2017; Apr. 18, 2017; Aug. 11, 2020; Aug. 17, 2021; Feb. 6, 2024; Oct. 1, 2025>
1. Diagnosis, examination, testing, investigation, or research with respect to infectious diseases under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act;
2. Examination, testing, investigation, and research with respect to medical and pharmaceutical products and therapeutic devices under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, cosmetics under the Cosmetics Act, medical devices under the Medical Devices Act, narcotics under the Narcotics Control Act, food, additives, appliances, containers, packing materials, and the content of pesticide residues on agricultural products under the Food Sanitation Act, health functional foods under the Health Functional Foods Act, livestock products distributed after undergoing an inspection in accordance with the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act, drinking water and water treatment chemicals under the Drinking Water Management Act, groundwater under the Groundwater Act, hygiene products under subparagraph 1 of Article 2 of the Hygiene Products Control Act, and hot spring water under the Hot Spring Act;
3. Inspection, testing, investigation, and research on air under the Framework Act on Air Quality, indoor air quality under the Act on Indoor Air Quality Control, odor under the Offensive Odor Control Act, water quality, soil, and residual agricultural chemicals under the Act on Water Management and Resident Support, soil under the Soil Environment Conservation Act, asbestos under the Asbestos Safety Management Act, noise and vibration under the Noise and Vibration Control Act, wastewater discharged from wastes, private sewage treatment facilities, treatment facilities, and excreta treatment facilities under the Wastes Control Act, the Sewerage Act, and the Act on the Management and Use of Livestock Excreta, marine pollution under the Marine Environment Management Act, environmental hazardous factors under the Environmental Health Act, and fine dust under the Special Act on the Reduction and Management of Fine Dust;
4. Investigation and research for the prevention of social disasters and natural disasters related to health and the environment under the Framework Act on the Management of Disasters and Safety;
5. Technical guidance for, and monitoring of, inspections conducted by institutions related to public health and the environment within its jurisdiction;
6. Training of inspectors of institutions related to public health and the environment within its jurisdiction;
Article 5-2(Public Health and Environment Research Council) #
(1) A research institute may establish and operate a Public Health and Environment Research Council (hereinafter referred to as the "Council") to conduct comprehensive and proactive response research on various disasters and safety in the health and environment fields.
(2) Matters necessary for the composition, operation, etc. of the Council shall be prescribed by ordinance of the relevant local government.
[This Article Added on Feb. 6, 2024]
Article 6(Public officials in research institutes) #
(1) Each research institute shall have one president and public officials, as necessary.
(2) The president shall be appointed by the competent Mayor/Do Governor from among persons who have extensive knowledge of and experience in the fields of public health and the environment.
(3) The president shall have overall control over the business of the research institute under the direction of the competent Mayor/Do Governor and shall lead and supervise public officials under his or her control.
(4) The director of a branch institute established under Article 3 shall be appointed by the competent Mayor/Do Governor from among persons who have extensive knowledge of and experience in the fields of public health and the environment.
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]
Article 7(Use of facilities) #
A research institute may allow any medical doctor, dentist, doctor of oriental medicine, veterinarian, pharmacist, or person specializing in the field of the environment to use its facilities for experimentation and testing on public health and the environment or may conduct an experiment or test on public health and the environment at the request of any other person.
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]
Article 8(Fees) #
(1) A research institute may collect fees or actual cost from persons who use its facilities or who request to conduct an experiment or test.
(2) Fess or actual cost under paragraph (1) shall be prescribed by ordinance of the relevant local government.
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]
Article 9(Subsidies from National treasury) #
The Government may partially subsidize research institutes and their branch institutes for expenses incurred in the establishment, operation, and research projects of such institutes within the budget.
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]
Article 10(Guidance) #
(1) Each research institute shall receive technical guidance provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and the National Institute of Environmental Research for its business activities specified in Article 5 (1). <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Aug. 11, 2020>
(2) Matters necessary for technical guidance under paragraph (1) shall be determined by the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Minister of Food and Drug Safety, or the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. <Amended on Mar. 23, 2013; Aug. 11, 2020; Oct. 1, 2025>
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]
Article 11(Administrative fines) #
(1) Any person who violates Article 4 shall be subject to an administrative fine not exceeding 1 million won.
(2) Administrative fines under paragraph (1) shall be imposed and collected by each Mayor/Do Governor.
[This Article Wholly Amended on Oct. 22, 2012]