In light of global climate change, Korea faces significant challenges with indigenous mosquito-borne diseases, notably malaria and Japanese encephalitis. Moreover, there is a growing incidence of imported arboviral diseases attributable to the increasing number of international travelers. Dengue fever emerges as the predominant mosquito-borne ailment among Korean travelers, while cases of Japanese encephalitis and chikungunya are also seeing an upward trend. Many countries have witnessed arboviral infections transmitted by pathogens-carrying mosquitoes, primarily due to the introduction of viruses by travelers. Additionally, the ongoing processes of global warming and urbanization are creating increasingly favorable environments for mosquitoes and the proliferation of mosquito-borne pathogens. This underscores the urgency of assessing both the current status and future projections of mosquito-borne diseases in Korea.

• Dong-Kyu Lee(Department of Public Health and Environment, Kosin University)