Male teens born in 2014: Don't miss this year's free HPV vaccination!

South Korea has launched a significant expansion of its national immunization program, offering free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to 12-year-old boys born in 2014. This initiative, which began on June 6, allows eligible boys to receive the quadrivalent HPV vaccine (requiring two doses spaced six months apart) at designated medical centers or public health clinics.

This move marks a crucial step in addressing the gender gap in HPV prevention policies within the country. Historically, the national program primarily covered female adolescents and young women. In 2023, the HPV vaccination rate for boys stood at a mere 0.2%, starkly contrasting with the 86.2% rate for girls in 2025. The expansion aims to rectify this disparity.

While often perceived as a 'cervical cancer vaccine' for women, HPV is a much broader concern. It is a common sexually transmitted infection that can lead to various cancers, including those of the anus, throat, and penis in men, as well as vulvar, vaginal, and cervical cancers in women. It also causes genital warts.

Experts highlight that men can be more vulnerable to HPV due to higher rates of reinfection, slower virus clearance, and the ability to carry and transmit the virus asymptomatically. Unlike women, men lack regular screening systems for HPV infections. The virus often remains dormant for 10 to 20 years before potentially developing into serious conditions like cancer.

Dr. Kim Dong-hyun, a professor of pediatrics at Inha University Hospital, emphasized that male HPV vaccination is not merely a sacrifice for future partners but a vital measure for their own health. He stressed that it protects them from HPV-related cancers and diseases. The program currently uses a quadrivalent vaccine, but there is a future goal to transition to a nonavalent vaccine, which offers broader protection against more HPV types.