South Korea Expands Free HPV Vaccination to 12-Year-Old Boys

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has announced the expansion of the national immunization program to include adolescent boys, providing free vaccinations against the human papillomavirus (HPV) starting May 6, 2026.

The new policy makes 12-year-old boys born in 2014 eligible for government-supported HPV vaccinations. This initiative broadens a program that previously focused primarily on adolescent girls, aiming to strengthen the prevention of HPV-related diseases across both sexes.

Eligible male adolescents can receive the quadrivalent HPV vaccine free of charge at public health centers or designated medical institutions.

Medical Rationale and Effectiveness

HPV is primarily transmitted through sexual contact and can lead to various health conditions in both males and females. While frequently associated with cervical cancer in women, the virus can cause genital warts and certain cancers in men, including anal and oropharyngeal cancers.

Data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration indicates that the HPV vaccine is 89 percent effective in preventing genital warts and 78 percent effective in preventing anal intraepithelial neoplasia in males. For females, the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing cervical cancer is approximately 90 percent.

The KDCA stated that expanding vaccination to boys is expected to reduce overall infection rates and ease the long-term societal burden of HPV-related illnesses. Approximately 70 percent of anal, genital, and oropharyngeal cancers are reportedly linked to HPV infection.

Global Health Standards

The decision to include boys in the national program follows recommendations from the National Immunization Advisory Committee, which based its conclusion on domestic and international research as well as accumulated vaccination experience.

The adoption of HPV vaccines for males aligns with global health trends. Currently, 147 countries have included the HPV vaccine in their national immunization programs, including 37 of the 38 member nations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Im Seung-kwan, Commissioner of the KDCA, noted that HPV vaccination is an effective means of preventing cancer and related diseases and expressed expectation that the expansion would allow more adolescents to be vaccinated in a timely manner.

Access and Implementation

To facilitate the rollout, the KDCA is providing information on participating clinics and vaccination services through its Immunization Helper website.

The agency also plans to support the management of vaccination records to ensure comprehensive coverage for the eligible cohort of 12-year-old males.