This project analyzes malaria infection trends in South Korea from 2001 to 2023. Our research question was: “How have malaria patterns in South Korea changed over this period?” To answer this, we compared malaria trends in neighboring countries and examined infection rates in key regions, particularly Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Incheon.
Using animated maps and line graphs, we visualized the changes in infection rates and identified regions with consistently high malaria cases. By comparing these patterns with the implementation of key policies, we aimed to provide recommendation that could help minimize future malaria infections.
This study provides
Valuable insights for malaria prevention strategies
Offers practical implications for future health policy development in South Korea
Malaria remains a major global health issue, creating continuous challenges for public health systems worldwide. One important factor contributing to this issue is climate change, which has increased mosquito activity. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 249 million malaria cases occurred globally in 2022, marking a 6.9% increase compared to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO warned that this rise has made eradicating malaria more difficult.
At first, we tried to find countries that were as close to Korea as possible. However, we found that malaria did not occur in Japan or Russia after research. In addition, China has not had any cases of malaria for four consecutive years since 2017. Therefore, we selected Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, which are not only near South Korea but also have reliable data on malaria cases. The data was sourced from the Malaria Atlas Project.
The original data provided the number of cases per 1,000 people. To calculate the actual number of malaria infections, we multiplied the incidence rate by the population of each country and divided the result by 1,000.
By hovering over each point, you can see the Year and Malaria Cases, along with Country Name.
Neighboring countries generally showed a declining trend in malaria cases, while South Korea remained stable with very low rates. However, after 2021, there was a slight increase in South Korea’s incidence.
Specifically, Cambodia and Laos exhibited the most notable decreases. Their incidence rates sharply declining from 2018, reaching near zero by 2022. The Philippines displayed a gradual decline, while Thailand had a slight increase before stabilizing around 2020. Vietnam maintained consistently low levels, and South Korea consistently reported minimal cases. Overall, most countries showed declining trends, particularly Cambodia and Laos, while South Korea’s strong public health system kept its rates low and stable.
We focused on South Korea because of the slight increase in malaria cases after 2021, which highlights the need for closer analysis and improved prevention strategies. Furthermore, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced that the malaria infections are on the rise and are expected to reach 650 cases this year.
For our South Korea-specific analysis, we used data from the Infectious Disease Portal spanning from 2001 to 2023. After analyzing the data, we found that dividing the data into distinct time periods revealed significant variations in malaria incidence. Interestingly, these changes aligned closely with the implementation of malaria control policies.
The line graph above illustrates malaria infections in South Korea from 2001 to 2023, highlighting trends at the national level and in the four most affected regions: Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Incheon. By hovering over each point, you can see the Year and Number of Infections, along with specific policies implemented in key years (2004,2011,2019).
Gyeonggi consistently reported the highest number of infections, contributing significantly to national totals.
Incheon and Seoul exhibited relatively low infection rates but followed similar patterns of decline and stabilization.
Gangwon maintained consistently low infection rates throughout the period.
Malaria in South Korea has changed significantly since its peak in the early 1990s, especially in areas near the DMZ. Over the years, the government’s focused policies have played an important role in lowering infection rates, and the implementation of major policies has clearly impacted trends, as indicated in the line graph above.
2000s: Early Military & Civilian Control (2004 Policy)
Responding to the rise of malaria, early efforts focused on monitoring and controlling outbreaks among military personnel and local populations near high-risk zones.
This policy led to a sharp decline in infections nationwide, particularly between 2001 and 2004.
2010s: Strengthening Surveillance (2011 Policy)
The government enhanced mosquito surveillance and introduced epidemiological investigations to track cluster infections.
These efforts improved prevention measures, particularly in high-burden regions such as Gyeonggi, where a steady decline is observed since 2011.
Additionally, real-time monitoring and immediate responses to localized outbreaks helped limit further transmission.
2019-2023: The First Basic Plan (2019 Policy)
In this period, rapid diagnostic kits introduced. It covered by insurance, allowing faster detection and treatment of malaria cases.
Clinical guidelines were published to standardize diagnosis and care.
2024-2028: Malaria Elimination Action Plan
The upcoming policy focuses on eliminating malaria by 2028. It include key strategies:
Implementing an active surveillance system to detect asymptomatic cases.
Expanding treatment with medications like Primaquine to eliminate infections.
As mentioned earlier in the Overall Trends section, we have divided the malaria infection trends in South Korea into four distinct periods: 2001-2004, 2005-2009, 2010-2017, and 2018-2023. This segmentation allows for a clearer and more systematic analysis of changes over time and the impact of key policies.
To make these trends even easier to visualize, we created animated maps where the color changes based on infection cases during each period. This visual tool will help you quickly identify how malaria infections have evolved over the years.
Now, let’s dive deeper into Part 2 for further insights!