Infection rate surges 13 percent over last year's figures
A survey found that Koreans rarely use condoms during sexual intercourse, even during casual encounters. These figures come alongside data showing that South Korea sees two new HIV cases daily. The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on November 20 that an additional 572 South Koreans were found to be infected by HIV, the immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS, during the first nine months of this year. This brings the total official number of the country's HIV cases to 4,401. These figures mean that 2.1 persons contracted HIV daily between January and September of this year, an increase of 13 percent from the same period last year. Up to 806 South Koreans have succumbed to complications from AIDS. The incidence of HIV in those aged 60 or over increased to 56, from only 10 cases in 2000. By gender, men numbered 527 and women 45. Of the 572 total cases, 366 persons were found to have contracted HIV through sexual contact - 54.4 percent heterosexual and 45.6 percent homosexual. According to the survey, when Korean people have sexual relations with casual partners, they rarely use condoms, which leaves them easily exposed to HIV. Results of a survey conducted by Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health on the request of the CDC showed that those that use condoms during sexual intercourse with someone they have just met numbered just 23 percent. If the person was an acquantance, the number was only 17.8 percent. When having relations with their spouses, however, 26.4 percent of Koreans used condoms. In comparison, in a 1999 survey, 62.5 percent of Mexicans were shown to use condoms when having sexual relations with casual partners. On the same question, 43 percent of Swedes used condoms in a 2000 survey, 70.8 percent of Canadians in a 2001 survey, and 40 percent of Hong Kong residents in a 2002 study.Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
