Page 284 - 2020 Defence White Paper

and treatment of confirmed patients. Moreover, the MND transformed the Armed
Forces hospitals in Daegu, Daejeon, and Goyang into national hospitals for infectious
diseases, and provided mobile medical clinics and mobile remote treatment
equipment.
To reinforce the ROK Armed Forces’ ability to deal with infectious diseases, the
MND plans to improve military hospital facilities for infectious disease treatment
and establish a medical response system centered around the AFMC, along with
other means such as obtaining supplies and equipment against epidemics and
enhancing medical training against disasters.

2. Enhancing Medical Accessibility and Expertise through Public–
Private Cooperation

Enhancing Access to Previously, servicemembers had to obtain a medical
Civilian Hospitals officer’s opinion and permission from the head of the
unit to use civilian hospitals. However, considering
the increase in preference for advanced technology used in civilian hospitals, the
approval process has been simplified for easier access.
After carrying out a series of two pilot projects from 2018 to June 2019, the
"Directive on Medical Treatment under the Health Insurance for Servicemembers in
Active Duty" was revised in December 2019, which allowed all servicemembers to
go off post and receive treatment from a civilian hospital with an approval of the unit

commander alone.
The MND also plans to introduce a military group insurance scheme, depending
on individual preferences, to finance the medical expenses previously paid by
servicemembers when using civilian hospitals instead of military hospitals. To
implement new scheme, the MND established pertinent statutory provisions by
revising the Military Service Act and the Enforcement Decree of the Military
Healthcare Act in 2020, and secured the relevant budget to implement the project
from 2021.
The MND will strive to increase the servicemembers’ civilian hospital accessi-
bility and improve their treatment options of servicemembers, and ensure that the
state remains fully responsible for any servicemember who sustains any illness or
injury during his or her military service and provide appropriate medical services.

282 2020 Defense White Paper