October 15 is World Hand-washing Day...What is the correct hand-washing practice rate in Korea?
Oct 15, 2025
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This is the result of an observation survey of 4,893 adults over the age of 19 who used public toilets from June 10 to July 10.
The 'hand washing practice rate after toilet' was 84.1%, and the 'hand washing practice rate using soap' was 45.0%, up from 76.1% and 31.8% in the previous year. However, in the case of washing hands correctly using soap for more than 30 seconds, 10.3% was similar to the previous year (10.5%). The total time to wash hands after excretion was 12.2 seconds on average compared to the previous year (10.9 seconds), but the average time to rub hands with soap bubbles was 4.8 seconds, down from the previous year (5.6 seconds).
The hand-washing practice rate is gradually increasing every year, and awareness of hand-washing is increasing, but the practice rate of washing hands for more than 30 seconds by rubbing all surfaces of hands with soap in running water is still low (10.3%).
Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Lim Seung-kwan "Infectious disease prevention rules are the most basic and effective preventive measures that do not cost money, and we urge you to follow preventive rules such as washing your hands along with cough etiquette in preparation for the outbreak of respiratory infections in winter."Please practice the '6th step of correct hand washing' so that you can wipe your fingertips, between your fingers, and under your fingernails carefully, especially when washing your hands."
Meanwhile, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is promoting various online and offline promotional activities with the National Medical Center to promote the importance of proper hand washing to prevent infectious diseases and raise public awareness on the occasion of World Hand Washing Day.
First of all, in addition to distributing correct handwashing promotional materials (video, card news, leaflets, stickers) produced by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to each community and related organizations, the 'Bubble Heart Handwashing Challenge', a public participation event, was held three times through SNS.
In addition, through cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, hand-washing messages have been attached to 138 public toilets in Hangang Park, and from September to early November, we are promoting unique projects to spread correct hand-washing promotion through community connection, such as "Infectious Disease Prevention Behavior Promotion Booth" which is an experience-based promotion event through festival sites in 10 regions nationwide.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
