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A South Korean naval base on Jeju Island, which has confirmed its first novel coronavirus patient. (Yonhap News)

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) has decided to restrict leave, travel passes, overnight stays, and meetings for all military personnel following the first confirmed case of COVID-19, the disease resulting from the novel coronavirus infection, in a Jeju naval unit, it announced on Feb. 20.

At the same time, pre-discharge leave and emergency leave for family events are to be allowed to proceed normally, with schedules for pre-discharge leave adjusted so that the military personnel in question can be discharged without returning to base.

At 9 pm that day, Minister of Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo held a “Ministry of Defense expanded disease prevention countermeasures headquarters meeting” with the chiefs of staff of the different armed forces and major ministry officials, who decided upon response measures to coronavirus infections within the military, the MND reported. During the meeting, Jeong ordered the “development of special disease prevention members in close coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Korea and other relevant institutions to prevent COVID-19 from spreading within the military.”

Previously, a 22-year-old soldier in a Jeju naval air squadron received a positive result in a primary coronavirus testing. The soldier in question had visited his hometown of Daegu from Feb. 13 to 18 while on leave. Upon his return to Jeju, he reportedly stopped at a convenience store in front of the unit before immediately rejoining it. More precise test results are expected to arrive today.

In response to the test, the unit verified which individuals had been in contact with the soldier and instituted preventive measures including the wearing of masks for all unit members, MND said.

“To prevent additional spreading with the unit, those who have been in contact have been independently isolated, with follow-up measures to be implemented according to the epidemiological findings,” it explained.

By Yoo Kang-moon, senior staff writer

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