Institute for Future Strategy, Seoul National University — Pandemic Cluster
2nd-Year Report

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of the key outcomes from the second-year research of the Pandemic Cluster at the Institute for Future Strategy (IFS), examining the multifaceted impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Korean society and outlining strategies for recovery and preparedness. The pandemic affected every aspect of society—health, economy, education, and culture—and highlighted structural weaknesses in critical systems. In particular, it brought to light deep-seated conflicts and the erosion of teacher authority within schools. The second-year study explored these educational challenges and proposed six measures to address them: (1) strengthening school teacher rights protection committees, (2) improving relevant legislation, (3) enhancing support from higher-level institutions, (4) introducing and institutionalizing standard manuals, (5) reinforcing teacher professionalism to build public trust, and (6) promoting social awareness and restoring educational culture. The study concludes that schools, education authorities, and communities must establish clear social standards for teacher authority and foster collective behavioral change across the education sector.

The study also examined changes in student nutrition during the pandemic. Findings revealed that during school closures and social distancing (2020–2021), students’ overall energy intake decreased, with a sharper decline among those from lower-income households. This group showed a significant reduction in energy and macronutrient intake compared to other income groups, indicating that the loss of school meals was not compensated for at home. The report recommends establishing flexible meal support protocols that consider both public health measures and nutritional needs during future health crises.

An analysis of public health communication during COVID-19, focusing on the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), assessed public trust based on four dimensions—honesty and transparency, competence and expertise, care and empathy, and commitment—and four types of justice—distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational. The study highlights that these frameworks are essential for building a resilient communication system in future public health crises. It also developed and applied a COVID-19 Resilience Index at both regional and national levels. Among 34 countries, Korea ranked 14th in resilience, with medium scores in preparedness and risk levels. The study recommends producing regional resilience indices, comparing them internationally, and visualizing data through interactive dashboards for public use. It further suggests integrating citizen participation in R&D—a “Public Health Innovation with Citizens” initiative—based on lessons learned from citizens’ proactive roles during the pandemic.

The study also analyzed technological and startup ecosystem shifts in the post-pandemic era. Emerging sectors such as digital healthcare and contactless technologies were identified as key growth areas. Patent analysis revealed rapid progress in digital solutions for health monitoring, rapid diagnostics, and disease management, as well as increased focus on core and security technologies supporting reliable communications for remote systems. The United States maintained strong technological leadership, while global investment trends shifted toward blockchain, deep tech, and artificial intelligence. Despite market uncertainty, investment in technology-based startups continued to rise. The report concludes that Korea should foster industrial innovation ecosystems by promoting AI, cloud-based technologies, and data analytics, alongside targeted policy support for promising startups.

Finally, drawing on historical analyses of 20th-century tuberculosis in North America and 21st-century Ebola outbreaks in West Africa, the study reflects on how societies respond to epidemics and what remains in their aftermath—particularly the experiences of vulnerable groups. It emphasizes that Korean society must now create spaces for emotional and social healing, remembering those lost to COVID-19 and fostering new forms of coexistence and communal resilience.

Keywords:
COVID-19 pandemic, educational conflict, teacher authority, nutritional inequality, public health communication, COVID-19 resilience index, technological innovation, citizen participation in health research, digital healthcare, technology-based startups, social healing