Ministry of National Defense: "No Consideration Given to Deploying Transport Aircraft for 'Japanese Cruise Ship'"

On the afternoon of the 6th, injured soldiers are being transported by a C-130 transport aircraft during the 'Aeromedical Evacuation Training' held at the Osan Air Base of the United States Air Force Korea in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu Reporter]The military authorities stated that they have not specifically considered deploying military aircraft to transport Koreans aboard the cruise ship 'Diamond Princess,' which is docked at Yokohama Port in Japan, back to Korea.

Moon Hong-sik, deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular briefing on the 17th regarding whether they are considering deploying Air Force aircraft such as the Air Force's second aircraft or transport planes, "There is currently no specific consideration," adding, "This is an issue that the government needs to discuss with related ministries."

It is also reported that the Air Force has not yet received an official request from the government to deploy military transport planes. The Air Force has been preparing transport planes along with quarantine personnel since the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) began spreading in China.

An Air Force official explained, "The military is always ready to deploy transport planes to ensure the safety of the people," and added, "If the government makes a decision, we can promptly deploy them."

Earlier, the government announced that if any Koreans aboard the Diamond Princess wish to return to Korea, they will pursue a plan to transport them domestically.

There are a total of 14 Koreans aboard the cruise ship, including 9 passengers and 5 crew members, and none are known to be infected yet. Among the 14 Koreans, 3 are reported to have domestic ties.

Currently, confirmation of those wishing to be transported is underway, and specific transportation plans have not been finalized. However, since the number of people is small, the possibility of using the Air Force's second aircraft or C-130 transport planes instead of chartering a plane has been raised.

The Air Force's second aircraft is a government-exclusive plane owned by the Republic of Korea Air Force. It is used for overseas trips by government officials such as Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon.

The C-130, the Air Force's main transport aircraft, is a four-engine turboprop medium-sized multipurpose transport plane. Its maximum speed is 602 km/h, cruising speed is 554 km/h, and its range is 7,876 km.