Impact of imported COVID-19 cases on South Korea’s response: variant transitions and regional patterns (2020–2023)

By systematically analyzing a large-scale dataset of imported COVID-19 cases, we demonstrate that targeted border measures-accounting for travelers' countries of origin and regional vulnerabilities-are essential for effective containment. Our findings underscore the value of variant-specific strategies, reinforced by real-time surveillance of imported cases, as a critical component of South Korea's public health infrastructure. This approach not only enhances current response capacity but also strengthens preparedness for future cross-border infectious disease threats.