Controversy Over 'Excessive Quarantine' at Army Training Center, Showers Allowed on First Day of Enlistment Starting Tomorrow

On the 29th of last month, representatives from the Center for Military Human Rights Protection were heading to the National Human Rights Commission in Jung-gu, Seoul, to submit a request for a special investigation into human rights violations at the Army Training Center. The Center for Military Human Rights Protection claimed that the Army Training Center implemented excessive quarantine measures, such as prohibiting trainees from brushing their teeth and washing their faces for three days and controlling access to restrooms in response to COVID-19.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The Army, which faced public backlash over 'excessive COVID-19 quarantine measures,' has reportedly changed its policy to allow soldiers to shower from the first day of enlistment at all recruit training centers nationwide.

According to a military official on the 2nd, the Army decided on this policy at an interim review meeting to improve the quarantine management system chaired by Army Chief of Staff Nam Youngshin that afternoon, and plans to implement it starting from the 3rd. The official stated, "To prevent COVID-19 infection, we plan to operate by setting specific times and separating shower times."

Currently, recruits undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests twice: on the 2nd and 10th days after entering the training camp.

Earlier, the Military Human Rights Center (Center) claimed in a statement on the 26th of last month that "the Army Training Center has implemented excessive quarantine guidelines by enforcing preventive isolation measures against COVID-19, prohibiting recruits from brushing their teeth and washing their faces for three days, and restricting bathroom use to controlled times, thereby infringing on individuals' rights to maintain hygiene."

In particular, the Center pointed out, "We have also received reports that some recruits have urinated in their pants due to restricted bathroom times," adding, "Under the pretext of infection prevention, controlling even bowel movements is an unreasonable situation."

In response, the Army explained that to prevent infection, they previously allowed showers only after the second PCR test results were available, which was 10 days after enlistment, but recently improved the policy to allow washing from the 3rd day when the first test results come out. However, due to ongoing criticism that this seriously infringed on soldiers' basic rights, the guidelines were changed to permit showering from the day of enlistment.

Additionally, the Army Headquarters plans to urgently install additional water supply and shower facilities with hot water for recruits under preventive isolation measures, and to improve bathroom use issues, they will also install portable toilets and outdoor temporary wash stations.

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