Evolution of inflammatory bowel disease in Korea: a 60-year perspective on clinical and research development

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was once considered rare in Korea, with the first reported case documented in 1961. Since then, its incidence and prevalence have increased markedly, accompanied by significant progress in clinical care and research. This narrative review traces the historical evolution of IBD in Korea, dividing the timeline into 4 periods: 1960-1979, 1980-1999, 2000-2019, and 2020-2039. For each period, major developments in the research environment and trends, diagnostic process, patient population and characteristics, and treatment are outlined. Over the past 6 decades, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in Korea have advanced markedly, transitioning from limited diagnostic capacity and symptom-based management to practices that align with global standards. Notably, Korean patients with IBD exhibit distinctive clinical features compared with Western counterparts, including a markedly higher proportion of proctitis and a lower long-term risk of colectomy in ulcerative colitis, and a substantially higher prevalence of perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease, highlighting the need for population- specific strategies to advance personalized medicine. In parallel, the research landscape has evolved through multicenter collaborations, expanded research capacity, and growing international engagement, positioning Korea as an increasingly active contributor to the global IBD research community. Looking ahead, the future of IBD research in Korea is expected to be shaped by innovation-driven research, including advances in artificial intelligence, large-scale data integration, and deeper international collaboration. By tracing the clinical and research trajectory of IBD in Korea, this review offers insight into how the country has adapted to global trends and is preparing to meet future challenges.

Keywords: Epidemiology; History; Inflammatory bowel disease; Korea.

Fig. 1.

Age- and sex-adjusted annual incidence of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in the Songpa-Kangdong district, Seoul, 1986–2015. Adapted from Park SH et al. J Crohns Colitis 2019;13:1410-1417, with permission from Oxford University Press [1].

Fig. 2.

Annual number of PubMed-indexed publications on inflammatory bowel disease from Korea, 1987–2024, including total publications, original research articles, and clinical research articles, with the latter presented as a subset of the original articles.