Health · Public Health & Disease · 2 hrs ago
Chickenpox was the most common infection in South Korea’s military from 2022 to 2026
South Korea’s military recorded 1,058 cases of infections and sexually transmitted infections, excluding COVID-19, from 2022 through June 2026.
Chickenpox was the most common, with 507 cases, or 47.9% of the total.
Malaria was next, with 319 cases.
The Army accounted for 82.4% of all cases, and chickenpox outbreaks—defined as at least five people in the same battalion developing symptoms—occurred every year from 2023 through 2026.
Chickenpox is not included in the military’s routine vaccination program for incoming service members.
The military medical command said it did not adopt the vaccine after a 2019 review that considered how easily the disease spreads and vaccine safety.
A lawmaker has called for the military to review its infection prevention and management measures and make policy changes where needed.
Chickenpox was the most common infection reported in South Korea’s military from 2022 through June 2026, excluding COVID-19.
It accounted for 507 of 1,058 reported infection and sexually transmitted disease cases, or 47.9%.
Malaria was the second most common, with 319 cases, or 30.2%.
At least one chickenpox cluster was recorded each year from 2023 through 2026, with a cluster defined as five or more symptomatic cases in the same battalion.
The military medical command does not include chickenpox in its routine vaccination programme for all incoming service members.
Lawmaker Min Hong-cheol called for a review of military infection prevention and management.
- Who
- South Korean service members; the data were provided by the Ministry of National Defense and the Armed Forces Medical Command.
- What
- Chickenpox was the most common reported infection, with 507 cases.
- When
- From 2022 through June 2026.
- Where
- South Korea’s military.
- Why
- The reports do not state why cases occurred. The military medical command said it did not introduce chickenpox vaccination after considering transmissibility and vaccine safety in 2019.
South Korean military medical command
Lawmaker Min Hong-cheol
Chickenpox vaccination
South Korean military medical command
The command said it did not introduce vaccination in 2019 after considering transmissibility and vaccine safety.
Lawmaker Min Hong-cheol
Min called for the military’s infection prevention and management to be reviewed and for necessary improvements to be made.
From the perspective that the state is responsible for the health of service members fulfilling their military duty to the end, we must re-examine the military’s infection prevention and management overall and make institutional improvements where needed.
At the time of discussions in 2019, chickenpox vaccination was not introduced after considering transmissibility and vaccine safety.
The military reported 63 chickenpox cases.
Chickenpox cases rose to 158, and at least one cluster was recorded.
The military reported 141 chickenpox cases.
The military reported 92 chickenpox cases.
Chickenpox was the most common reported infection in data covering 2022 through June 2026.
- Chickenpox cases
- 507
- Share of reported cases
- 47.9% of 1,058 cases, excluding COVID-19
- Malaria cases
- 319
- Data period
- 2022 through June 2026
- Army share
- 82.4% of cases occurred in the Army
- Cluster definition
- At least five symptomatic cases in the same battalion
Sources
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