Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea
This study examines excess mortality in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. I analyze age-specific mortality rates and present an international comparison. First, Korean excess mortality remained low until the end of 2021 but significantly increased in early 2022. Second, this excess mortality...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Federal Institute for Population Research
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Comparative Population Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.comparativepopulationstudies.de/index.php/CPoS/article/view/561 |
| _version_ | 1797633164976324608 |
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| author | Bongoh Kye |
| author_facet | Bongoh Kye |
| author_sort | Bongoh Kye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines excess mortality in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. I analyze age-specific mortality rates and present an international comparison. First, Korean excess mortality remained low until the end of 2021 but significantly increased in early 2022. Second, this excess mortality was concentrated among older people. For example, cumulative excess mortality among the population aged 85+ years until the 30th week of 2022 was approximately 1-2 percent, that is, an additional 1-2 percent of this age group died compared with what we would have expected in the absence of COVID-19. Third, the international comparison demonstrates that excess mortality in South Korea was relatively low. The country experienced one of the lowest excess mortality rates among countries under study until the end of 2021, but excess mortality rapidly increased in early 2022. However, it returned to being comparatively low by mid-2022. This comparison shows cross-national variation in excess mortality, which may be associated with policy responses and public health infrastructure. Finally, I discuss implications and opportunities for future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:50:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d3c3a78f4d1a46d9bb8b9c2e8734ea93 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1869-8980 1869-8999 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:50:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Federal Institute for Population Research |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Comparative Population Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-d3c3a78f4d1a46d9bb8b9c2e8734ea932023-11-09T09:27:44ZengFederal Institute for Population ResearchComparative Population Studies1869-89801869-89992023-11-014810.12765/CPoS-2023-26468Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South KoreaBongoh Kye0Kookmin UniversityThis study examines excess mortality in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. I analyze age-specific mortality rates and present an international comparison. First, Korean excess mortality remained low until the end of 2021 but significantly increased in early 2022. Second, this excess mortality was concentrated among older people. For example, cumulative excess mortality among the population aged 85+ years until the 30th week of 2022 was approximately 1-2 percent, that is, an additional 1-2 percent of this age group died compared with what we would have expected in the absence of COVID-19. Third, the international comparison demonstrates that excess mortality in South Korea was relatively low. The country experienced one of the lowest excess mortality rates among countries under study until the end of 2021, but excess mortality rapidly increased in early 2022. However, it returned to being comparatively low by mid-2022. This comparison shows cross-national variation in excess mortality, which may be associated with policy responses and public health infrastructure. Finally, I discuss implications and opportunities for future research.https://www.comparativepopulationstudies.de/index.php/CPoS/article/view/561excess mortalitysouth koreacovid-19 |
| spellingShingle | Bongoh Kye Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea Comparative Population Studies excess mortality south korea covid-19 |
| title | Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea |
| title_full | Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea |
| title_fullStr | Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea |
| title_short | Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea |
| title_sort | excess mortality during the covid 19 pandemic in south korea |
| topic | excess mortality south korea covid-19 |
| url | https://www.comparativepopulationstudies.de/index.php/CPoS/article/view/561 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bongohkye excessmortalityduringthecovid19pandemicinsouthkorea |