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Country Profiles 
Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea
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Country Profile
The number of newly recorded HIV cases in South Korea increased by about 7% in 2008, up to 797 from 744 in 2007, according to a report released from the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention . 93%, or 744, of newly reported cases in 2008 occurred among men and 7% occurred among women. Seventy-three percent of the cases occurred among people ages 20 to 40. Twenty percent of the cases were recorded among teenagers and 56 cases occurred among people over age 60. According to the report, 99% of the cases were transmitted sexually.
The CDC report found that 93%, or 744, of newly reported cases in 2008 occurred among men and 7% occurred among women. Reported cases from 1996 to 2007 indicate much higher number of HIV cases among men than women.
The epidemic is largely confined within specific populations. The prevalence of HIV among sex workers and their clients is estimated to be low. HIV is predominantly affecting men who have sex with men (MSM) with prevelance of 5%, which explains the current ratio between men and women of about nine to one. The number of new infections continues to rise steadily. During the year 2004, it was reported that 614 people were positive for HIV. The main mode of transmission has been through sexual contact, which constitutes 98% of the cases, followed by blood transfusion and vertical transmission . Roughly 83% of people living with HIV (PLWHA) in Korea are between the ages of 20 and 49.