Health impact assessment (HIA) provides information to establish a health orientated policy and predict the health impacts of different policy alternatives. This study aims to institutionalize HIA in Korea. To achieve this, the following 3 different research projects were carried out as a ground work.

First, introduction of HIA was prepared by conducting a pilot project against local and central governmental policies. The second research was the construction of infrastructure for HIA. Pilot project was also executed and HIA guideline was established according to the determinants of health and regional factors. Third, the policy research was performed to suggest strategies for institutionalization of HIA. This is intended to play a central role of HIA in Asia-Pacific region.

Local governments are especially in need for implementation of HIA system, as they are first at the scene of public policy. Therefore, a collaborative research was conducted closely with Seocho-gu in Seoul for institutionalization in local government in 2016. HIA was implemented for Firefly center operation and Yangjae-stream integrated improvement projects and suggestions were made to maximize the positive impacts while minimizing negative effects.

As Korea is becoming a super-aged society, investigation was conducted to create an index related to the health determinants of vulnerable populations such as senior citizens or the potentially vulnerable population. Required basic information for analysis of the health determinants of the aged group and the equity-focused health index were created. Further, HIA was executed on pedestrian improvement project for old age population and recommendations were drawn.

Based on Environmental Health Act, HIA should be conducted in Korea. However, its application is limited to certain development projects, and is not applied comprehensively to local and central governmental projects.

There is no independent enactment of an Act regarding HIA at a governmental level. However, some local governments such as Muju-gun in Jeonbuk and Seocho-gu in Seoul implemented a comprehensive and independent HIA regulations and attempted its institutionalization.

The first fundamental for development of a local gov-ernmental HIA institutionalization model is to develop an independent model, which is not a part of environmental impact assessment. The objective is to induce more direct impacts on health improvement through this model. Second, development of a comprehensive HIA institutionalization model that encompasses all-inclusive determinants of health(health, social, physical
factors), subjected to laws, systems, plans and projects. All direct and indirect health impact factors should be included to execute a realistic health promoting policy, consequently the citizens can experience health improvement effects.