Page 253 - 2018 Defense White Paper

of long-range operations in areas, including the Northwest Islands, which will further improve

the ROK Armed Forces’ emergency evacuation capabilities. In addition, the center will continue
to strengthen its cooperation with the National Fire Agency, and the Ministry of Health and
Welfare to share evacuation helicopters.

| Contribution to Public Healthcare | The MND will continue to expand the contribution
of the ROK Armed Forces to public healthcare. In the past, the ROK Armed Forces proactively

assumed the role as a standing medical force for the ROK in the event of national infectious
diseases such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS) and Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome(MERS) outbreaks. In addition, military medical facilities in medically disadvantaged

areas provide medical services to local residents to remove medical blind spots. The MND will
enhance its cooperation with other relevant institutions including the Ministry of Health and
Welfare and the Center for Disease Control to pursue a public–private partnership in public
healthcare by expanding its contribution in many areas such as the monitoring and control of

national epidemics, and response to health crises.

5. Wider Opportunities for Self-Development during military service

| Allowing Credit and License Acquisition during the Service | The MND helps
Chapter 6
servicemembers acquire college credits and licenses in various ways to mitigate their burden
caused by the discontinuation of academic endeavors and careers during their service periods.
Distance Learning Course means that servicemembers can take and earn credits from the official

online courses of the universities that they attended before their service. The course was launched
in 2007 with six universities including Kangwon National University and Chonbuk National
University. As of 2018, the course is joined by 145 universities across the ROK including Seoul

National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University. In addition, the MND provides
biannual tests for 82 national technical qualif ication tests, and tests are provided all year round

Section 2 Improving the Welfare and Working Environment for Servicemembers 251