Partial Permission for Military Personnel Leave Starts Today

At the Hyesanjin Unit of the Army Capital Mechanized Infantry Division in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, a pilot unit for "soldiers using mobile phones after duty" held a discussion on the afternoon of the 31st with Park Tae-gyu, Director of the Military Policy Division at the Ministry of National Defense, soldiers, families, and couples about mobile phone usage. The Ministry of National Defense plans to expand the pilot units to all Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps units starting in April, and will decide on full implementation after the three-month pilot period ends. / Gapyeong = Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] From today, military personnel will be partially allowed to go on leave. Based on the judgment of on-site commanders, areas with no confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the past 7 days are designated as safe zones, allowing soldiers to go on leave. Approximately 80% of about 220 cities, counties, and districts nationwide fall under safe zones.

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 24th, since the first confirmed case in the military on February 22, all soldiers' leave, outings, and visits have been restricted, implementing social distancing measures stricter than government standards. However, from today, soldiers' leave will be gradually permitted in some safe zones.

Earlier, the government set this day as the start date considering the virus incubation period (5?7 days) and preparation time for implementation, which is 9 days after the April 15 general election. Units in safe zones will thoroughly educate soldiers on compliance before allowing leave and will coordinate in advance with local governments and facilities expected to be frequented by soldiers, such as PC rooms and karaoke bars, to ensure adherence to daily quarantine measures. Soldiers returning from leave will have their temperature checked, and those showing symptoms will undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and preventive isolation and management.

However, in the case of the Navy, the relaxation of controls applies equally to personnel on land duty, but for those serving on ships, the implementation timing will be decided soon considering the COVID-19 spread trends and the unique circumstances on site. Officers, like public officials, are allowed to go out without commander approval for purchasing daily necessities or hospital visits. Use of crowded facilities is discouraged, but simple dining without alcohol is permitted.

The Ministry of National Defense plans to review allowing leave, overnight stays, and visits in the future, considering the trend of community infection spread. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the military has only permitted pre-discharge leave and petition leave, but from early this month, soldiers can take leave with commander approval for unavoidable reasons such as job preparation.

The Ministry is also preparing for the possibility of confirmed cases within the military due to the relaxation of controls. To prepare for an increase in patients in the metropolitan area, COVID-19 diagnostic testing is being prepared to be available not only at the Medical Research Institute, Capital Hospital, and the 5th Army Headquarters but also at the Armed Forces Yangju Hospital. Approximately 30% of beds at the Armed Forces Daejeon and Daegu Hospitals will be allocated for military confirmed cases, and Goyang Hospital will be converted into a military-exclusive infectious disease hospital. Additionally, all military hospitals will introduce 'drive-through' testing methods, and remote medical consultation systems for febrile patients will be established in units below the division level. The military plans to secure a three-month supply of protective equipment, including 5.99 million masks, and emergency required equipment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.