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12-year-old boys eligible for free HPV vaccine starting next month

Published: 16 Apr. 2026, 18:21 Updated: 16 Apr. 2026, 18:31

A patient receives a human papillomavirus vaccine at Kyung Hee University Hospital in this file photo provided by the hospital.[KYUNG HEE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL]

Starting next month, 12-year-old boys will also be eligible for free human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccinations in Korea, as health authorities expand efforts to prevent cancers, genital warts and other diseases caused by the virus.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced Thursday that it will launch a new national immunization support program starting May 6 for boys born in 2014. The new vaccination program will gradually expand to cover boys up to age 17 by increasing the eligible birth year by one each year. It will begin with boys born in 2014 this year, followed by those born in 2015 next year and so on.

Though a common misconception, HPV infects not only women but also men. The misconception stems from the fact that early HPV vaccines were initially marketed and approved for females only, and public health campaigns focused almost exclusively on cervical cancer prevention, as the virus is strongly associated with female-specific disease. In reality, HPV causes cancers in both genders, and many countries have since expanded vaccination programs to include boys,

The national vaccination program currently covers girls ages 12 to 17 born between 2008 and 2014 and low-income women ages 18 to 26 born between 1999 and 2007.

Ninety percent of cervical cancer cases and 70 percent of cancers affecting the genitals and throat are caused by HPV infection, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The main route of transmission is sexual intercourse, which is why it is important to vaccinate both men and women, the agency said.

The HPV vaccine has also shown clear preventive effects against a range of diseases. The CDC finds that the vaccine can prevent 89 percent of genital warts and 78 percent of precancerous anal conditions in men.

For that reason, 147 countries around the world, including 37 members of the OECD have adopted national immunization programs.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency [YONHAP]

The Korea Expert Committee on Immunization Practices under the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) recently also concluded that expanding vaccination to males could help reduce the overall burden of HPV-related diseases in Korean society.

The move follows the committee's recommendation to expand government support to include more recipients, citing domestic and international studies confirming the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness.

Newly eligible recipients can receive the quadrivalent HPV vaccine — a vaccine that targets four strains, which in HPV's case are types 6, 11, 16, and 18 — free of charge at nearby public health centers or designated medical institutions.

The vaccine must be administered twice, six months apart. Information on participating clinics and vaccination records can be checked on the National Immunization Program website.

“HPV vaccination is an effective means of preventing cancer and related diseases in the future,” said Lim Seung-kwan, the head of the KDCA. “We hope more adolescents will be able to receive timely vaccinations through this expansion."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG JONG-HOON [[email protected]]