[Characteristics and Trends of COVID-19 Deaths in the Republic of Korea (January 20, 2020-August 30, 2023)]

To monitor the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency operated a death reporting system based on the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act from the date of the first report of COVID-19 case on January 20, 2020 to August 30, 2023. In this report, characteristics of all COVID-19-related deaths reported during the pandemic (January 1, 2020 to August 30, 2023) are analyzed. A descriptive analysis was conducted on demographic and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 related deaths, and the severity of COVID-19 was calculated using case fatality and mortality rates. All analyses were compared by year. A total of 35,605 deaths were reported during the monitoring period. Most deaths occurred among older adult group or those with underlying medical conditions. The fatality rate was 0.10%, and the mortality rate was 69 per 100,000 population. The fatality rate of those over 80 years of age was 1.75%; it was the highest among all age groups. Republic of Korea's COVID-19 case fatality rate was one of the lowest worldwide, and the legal status of COVID-19 was downgraded from Class 2 to Class 4 on August 31, 2023. However, as new mutated viruses continue emerging and the COVID-19 epidemic continues, the management of high-risk groups (e.g., older adults and individuals with underlying diseases), is necessary. In particular, timely vaccinations should be continued for high-risk groups to prevent severe COVID-19 infections.