The Secret of COVID-19 Fatality Rate in Koreans... Unraveled Through the Genome

Analysis of Korean Genome Reveals
TMPRSS2 Gene Mutation
Correlation with Low COVID-19 Fatality Rate

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] Why is the fatality rate of COVID-19 among Koreans low?

Various reasons such as national policies and healthcare systems are cited as answers to this question. However, geneticists focus on the unique genetic traits of Koreans. They suggest that distinctive genetic characteristics of Koreans may interfere with or resist COVID-19 infection, resulting in a lower fatality rate.

With global academic attention focused on Korea, Professor Jonghwa Park, a genome analysis expert at the Department of Life Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, recently presented a research paper that provides guidance to prove this hypothesis.

Correlation Between Genetic Variations in Koreans and Low Fatality Rate

Professor Park’s research team analyzed the genome of TMPRSS2, a protease that plays a decisive role when the COVID-19 virus invades the human body, and hypothesized that if genetic variations unique to Koreans are detected, they would correlate with the low fatality rate.

Following this hypothesis, they compared and analyzed the genomes of 2,262 Koreans and 221,498 non-Koreans from Europe, America, and other regions. The results confirmed that among Koreans, the frequency of the V197M variant in the TMPRSS2 gene sequence is high, while G8V is low. Conversely, Europeans, who show a higher COVID-19 fatality rate, exhibited a low frequency of V197M and a high frequency of G8V.

According to Professor Park’s research, the frequency of the V197M gene variant is also high?over 30%?in the genomes of Northeast Asian populations such as Japanese and Chinese. In contrast, G8V was found to be below 10%, with Korea and Japan showing frequencies in the 1% range. In this context, the World Health Organization reported that as of the 16th, the fatality rate in Asia is about 1%. The number of deaths per one million people is 5 in Korea, 9 in Japan, and 3 in China.

In Europe, the frequency of the V197M gene variant was low: 19.9% in Italy, 17.8% in Spain, and 22.6% in the UK. The frequency of the G8V gene variant was 41.6% in Italy, 31.1% in Spain, and 28.1% in the UK. Europe’s fatality rate reaches 28%. The number of deaths per one million people is 585 in Italy, 612 in Spain, and 609 in the UK.

Possibility That the Prototype Virus of COVID-19 Already Passed Through

Professor Park explained, "This means that two genetic mutations have occurred in Koreans," and added, "Due to these genetic changes, Koreans may respond differently to COVID-19 infection compared to Europeans."

TMPRSS2 plays a role in fusing the cell membrane after the COVID-19 spike protein attaches to ACE2 in our body. According to Professor Park, due to genetic variations, fusion with the cell membrane may not proceed properly in Koreans compared to Europeans.

Regarding the occurrence of these genetic mutations, Professor Park stated, "If we consider that COVID-19 emerged from recombination of viruses found in bats and pangolins in the Asian region, it is possible to hypothesize that COVID-19 had already spread in Asia long ago, leaving genetic traces in the Korean genome."

He added, "We plan to support the use of genetic variations unique to Koreans, identified through genome analysis, in the development of COVID-19 treatments in the future."

Professor Park’s research paper (preprint) is currently under review for publication in an international academic journal.