Application of Level 1.5 Measures to Military Units in the Seoul Metropolitan and Gangwon Areas

On the 16th, Defense Minister Seo Wook held an emergency key commanders meeting regarding COVID-19 response and decided to apply social distancing level 1.5 to military units in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon region.

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] As additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continue to occur, the military has decided to apply 'Social Distancing' Level 1.5 to units in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon region.

On the 16th, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it made this decision during an emergency key commanders meeting on COVID-19 response chaired by Minister of National Defense Seo Wook that morning.

From the 17th to the 29th, soldiers in units located in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon region will be allowed to take leave or go out under the condition of complying with quarantine rules as before. However, for soldiers in areas where cluster infections have occurred, leave is recommended to be postponed based on the judgment of on-site commanders. In particular, for officers in the Gangwon region, Social Distancing Level 2 will be applied during the same period, with the principle of staying in the dormitory after work and refraining from dinners or private gatherings. Going out is allowed if necessary.

Under Social Distancing Level 1.5 quarantine control, the military recommends postponing soldiers' leave based on the judgment of the commanders of the respective units, and at Level 2.5, the Ministry of National Defense will fully control soldiers' leave.

Recently, as cluster infections occurred at the Yongsan Armed Forces Welfare Service in Seoul and confirmed cases continued to emerge in the Ministry of National Defense premises and the Ministry of National Defense direct units in Inje, Gangwon Province, it is interpreted that proactive measures were taken regardless of government quarantine guidelines.

On the 15th, a COVID-19 confirmed case was reported within the Ministry of National Defense premises in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, for the first time in about three months. The confirmed case within the premises was an officer A from the Cyber Operations Command, a direct unit of the Ministry of National Defense, who was confirmed positive after undergoing a diagnostic test following contact with a civilian confirmed case. The Cyber Command is located in an annex building within the Ministry of National Defense premises. The military and health authorities plan to conduct comprehensive testing based on the ongoing epidemiological investigation results of the unit.

The last confirmed case within the Ministry of National Defense premises in Yongsan-gu, where the Ministry's main building is located, was on August 26, when a civilian employee of the Cyber Command tested positive. The Cyber Command has had three confirmed cases so far, including the May incident identified as the starting point of the so-called 'Itaewon-origin military confirmed cases,' the August civilian employee case, and the current case.

In particular, concerns are growing as confirmed cases have surged at the Armed Forces Welfare Service, a direct unit located outside Yongsan but with frequent external contacts due to its unit characteristics, leading to additional testing of personnel working within the premises whose movement paths overlap. The emergence of a confirmed case within the premises has heightened the military authorities' vigilance regarding quarantine.

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