South Korea has reported its sixth case of monkeypox, now known as "mpox," a new term recommended by the World Health Organization.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, a South Korean national tested positive on Friday after the suspected case was reported to a local health center the previous day.

The KDCA added that based on an epidemiological survey thus far, the person has no overseas travel history in the past three months and so the case is believed to mark the first local transmission of the disease.

The five previous cases were all linked to overseas travel.

The latest patient reportedly displayed symptoms of skin rash since late March and therefore contacts made with multiple people in the local community cannot be ruled out.

The KDCA said it is looking into the patient's movement and contacts and people who had contact with the individual will be divided into groups in accordance with the degree of exposure.

The patient is currently hospitalized and known to be in good health.

Mpox saw a spike in infections since May of last year in regions outside Africa where the disease was traditionally confined to, prompting the WHO to declare a public health emergency of international concern.

South Korea confirmed its first case on June 22 last year.