According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), as of October 2021, South Korea has had significantly fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths per capita compared to the USA. Specifically, South Korea has reported around 5,000 cases and 34 deaths per million people, while in the USA, there have been around 100,000 cases and 1,500 deaths per million people.
South Korea's success in controlling the spread of COVID-19 can be attributed to several key factors, including early and aggressive testing, contact tracing, and quarantine measures; a robust public health infrastructure that emphasizes prevention and early intervention; and the use of advanced technology and data analysis to track the spread of the virus and inform public health decision-making.
In contrast, the US has faced significant challenges in controlling the spread of the virus, including inconsistent messaging and guidance from the federal government on public health measures, a lack of cohesive national strategy, inadequate testing capacity in the early stages of the pandemic, and significant political polarization and misinformation.
It is important to note, however, that comparisons between countries can be complex, and the effectiveness of public health measures can depend on a variety of factors, including demographics, population density, healthcare infrastructure, and public behavior. Additionally, the situation is constantly changing, with new variants of the virus emerging, and vaccination rates rising and falling in different regions.