South Korea's Childhood Vaccination Rate among Highest in the World

Higher Vaccination Rates Than the US, UK, and Australia
Statistics Now Include Adolescents up to Age 13

It has been found that South Korea's national childhood vaccination coverage rate remains higher than that of major countries overseas. In particular, the full vaccination rate for six-year-olds reached 90.5%, the highest since statistics were first compiled in 2018.

On July 30, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) released the "2025 National Childhood Vaccination Coverage Report," which includes this information. Starting this year, the report expanded its coverage to include not only children aged 1 to 3 and 6, but also adolescents up to age 13.

By age, the full vaccination rates were as follows: 93.2% for one-year-olds (born in 2024), 91.5% for two-year-olds (born in 2023), 90.0% for three-year-olds (born in 2022), 90.5% for six-year-olds (born in 2019), and 84.1% for thirteen-year-olds (born in 2012). Compared to 2024, the vaccination rate for one-year-olds saw a slight decrease, while rates for three-year-olds and six-year-olds rose by 1.3 percentage points and 1.1 percentage points, respectively.

Notably, the vaccination rate for six-year-olds was 90.5%, marking the highest since the age group started being tracked in 2018. For two-year-olds, the rate fell by 2.1 percentage points, which is believed to be due to the inclusion of the rotavirus vaccine in the national immunization program in 2023, increasing the number of required doses for this group by two to three.

Vaccination rates by individual vaccine ranged from 88.5% to 98.1% depending on the age group. In general, vaccines that are completed within the first year of life according to the standard immunization schedule, and those with fewer required doses, tended to have higher coverage rates.

When comparing domestic vaccination rates with major countries overseas, such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, South Korea showed higher coverage rates for all six major vaccines examined.

The KDCA provides vaccination support for a total of 19 vaccines by age group for children under the age of 12 through the national immunization program. The vaccination support target group is being continuously expanded, and since May, boys aged 12 (born in 2014) have been eligible for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine under this program.

Im Seungkwan, Commissioner of the KDCA, stated, "We expect this statistical report to serve as important evidence for establishing systematic policies for childhood and infectious disease prevention in the future." “As vaccination is the most effective means of preventing infectious diseases, we ask that you continue to actively participate in the national immunization program.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.