On the Day of Martial Law, National Hospitals Were Also Closed to Entry... Government Duty Command Room Orders

Ministry of Health and Welfare, Dissemination to 7 Affiliated Agencies

It has been confirmed that during the 12·3 emergency martial law, orders were issued to close the entrances of seven national hospitals along with government offices.

According to the response materials received by Rep. Yang Bu-nam of the Democratic Party of Korea from the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 20th, the Ministry relayed by phone the order posted at 11:04 PM on the 3rd by the government duty command center on the duty management system to "close all entrances of each government building and control access" to its affiliated institutions.

The affiliated institutions include seven locations: National Mental Health Center, National Naju Hospital, National Bugok Hospital, National Chuncheon Hospital, National Gongju Hospital, National Sorokdo Hospital, and National Rehabilitation Center.

Police forces are moving at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 4th as President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

After the martial law was lifted, at 5:33 AM on the 4th, the duty command center additionally posted an order through the duty management system to "thoroughly inspect security and control access," which the Ministry of Health and Welfare further relayed by phone.

During the martial law, the government duty commander disseminated the building closure orders to central administrative agencies, and each central ministry, including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, reportedly conveyed them to their affiliated institutions according to procedures.

Regarding the closure of the Korea National University of Arts (Korea Arts), an institution under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, controversy arose over whether the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism directly issued the order.