Military Ensures Meal Service and PX Delivery for COVID-19 Quarantined Soldiers

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Soldiers quarantined for COVID-19 prevention will be guaranteed meal distribution at the same level as regular soldiers.

Use of military base convenience stores (PX), which was restricted during the quarantine period, will also be partially allowed. There is also a plan to raise the basic meal allowance, currently about 8,500 won per day, to around 10,500 won starting next year.

On the morning of the 7th, Defense Minister Seo Wook held a meeting with key commanders of the entire military at the Ministry of National Defense to prepare such measures to "guarantee living conditions for quarantined soldiers," the Ministry of National Defense announced.

At a briefing that day, Kim Seong-jun, Director of the Personnel Welfare Office, emphasized that they will guarantee meal distribution at the same level for quarantined soldiers as for regular soldiers by saying, "We will strictly adhere to the basic principle of 'quantitative and balanced meal distribution' while strengthening a command-centered meal management system."

For quarantined soldiers, preferred items such as pork, chicken, and duck will be increased by about 10%, and autonomous operating food expenses will be raised to purchase items like beef brisket used in soybean paste stew and garlic bread served with spaghetti, depending on each unit. Emergency rations and snacks such as canned tuna, black bean sauce (Jjajang) and curry sauces, and cup noodles will also be actively utilized.

Regarding PX usage, which is difficult during quarantine, soldiers can pre-apply to purchase necessary items and have them delivered to the quarantine location for use.

In addition, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it will actively promote a plan to raise the basic meal allowance to around 10,500 won next year. This measure comprehensively considers that the meal cost per soldier per meal (2,930 won) is only about the price of a cup of coffee and about 80% of the meal cost for high school students (3,625 won).

They are also reviewing plans to reduce delivery meals from four times a year to once a month and to expand brunch provision, which currently combines breakfast and lunch once a month, to once a week.

Regarding quarantine methods, the military plans to implement leave at the company-level barracks unit so that soldiers from the same company can take leave together and quarantine together, maximizing the use of basic living conditions and convenience facilities.

Director Kim said, "We will implement company-level and other unit leave starting May 10 and improve the system so that preventive quarantine can be conducted in the current barracks even after returning from leave."

To this end, the Ministry of National Defense explained that while maintaining the current leave control rate of 20% of personnel, the leave rate will be expanded up to 35% for units at the company level or below where leave is possible.

However, if it is difficult to implement leave by unit at the barracks level, quarantine locations that provide basic conveniences such as water supply, heating, and restrooms will be selected.

If it is difficult to secure quarantine facilities within a unit, the plan is to integrate quarantine facilities at battalion-level or higher units such as divisions and brigades, and small units like independent army units or naval reconnaissance bases will receive quarantine facility support from higher-level units at the battalion level or above, with this system to be established by the first half of the year at the latest.

In addition, a new reporting channel based on a mobile phone app that guarantees the anonymity of reporters will be established, and measures to ease preventive quarantine and testing for personnel who have completed COVID-19 vaccination will also be considered.