[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Are Group Leaves in the Military Actually Harmful?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Concerns are rising over the ‘group vacation’ policy as a cluster infection of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) occurred at an Army unit in Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do. There is a risk that soldiers who return from leave could infect others during the quarantine period due to a soldier infected with COVID-19.

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 17th, after a soldier who was quarantined as a preventive measure following his return from leave on the 14th tested positive first in an Army division, an additional 26 people, including 6 officers and 20 soldiers, were confirmed infected. Notably, except for the initially infected quarantined soldier, all 26 others were ordinary soldiers living in the barracks and officers who commuted to and from the unit.

This is a case where infections occurred simultaneously not only in quarantine facilities but also in general barracks within the same unit, and since the infection route is unclear, concerns about further spread are growing.

Some point out that the possibility of cluster infections within the military has increased due to the group vacation system, which is set to be fully implemented starting this week. The Ministry of National Defense decided on group vacations as part of the ‘Measures to Improve Living Conditions for Quarantined Soldiers’ announced after the all-military commanders’ meeting chaired by Minister Seo Wook on the 7th. In other words, soldiers sharing the same barracks are sent on ‘group vacations’ by platoon or company units, and upon their return, their previous barracks are used as preventive quarantine facilities.

However, among some officials, concerns have been raised regarding group vacations, stating, "Considering that soldiers’ vacation schedules vary individually, if one soldier returns infected with COVID-19, there is a risk of spreading it to other soldiers in the same barracks."

Additionally, there are criticisms that "considering working conditions, there are not many units that can send soldiers on leave by barracks unit." This suggests that ‘group vacations’ may become a formal measure that is not practically implemented in most military units.

The Ministry of National Defense set the upper limit for implementing group vacations at a maximum of 35% of personnel (currently up to 20% under the military’s ‘social distancing’ level 2).