Page 36 - 2020 Defence White Paper

of supply. In response, the ROK Armed Forces
practiced warm sharing of life by conducting
280,000 group blood donations at 5,300 units
between January and November 2020 through
various campaigns such as the "Blood Donation of
Love" and "Blood Donation Relay". To ensure the
safety of servicemembers during the blood
donation process, the MND organized a blood ROK Army’s Blood Donation of Love Campaign (September
2020)
collection team and the blood collecting staff was
required to get tested for COVID-19 in advance. Their health conditions were monitored twice a day, and
the blood collecting staff and donors were strictly monitored in wearing a face mask.

4. Maintaining a Firm Military Readiness Posture in the Face of the COVID-19
Pandemic

The ROK Armed Forces implemented highly intensive epidemic control measures and flexibly conducted
various operations and drills to maintain a firm military readiness posture even in the face of a national
crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. First, the ROK Armed Forces implemented unique and
differentiated anti-epidemic measures for key military installations such as command and control rooms
and emergency waiting rooms and assigned preliminary installations to ensure that command and
control and standby for emergency were kept stable even if the existing installations were to be
contaminated. Thorough measures were formulated in advance to ensure the normal operation of other
standby forces, even if the force employment became limited due to infections or any other causes, by
separating the time and space for key forces such as emergency standby forces and surveillance and
response forces.
During the period when the number of confirmed cases in the ROK soared, operational activities were
selectively adjusted and implemented. Training activities against infiltrations and local provocations were
conducted at the military post while thoroughly observing preventive guidelines against infections, and
the timing, size, and method varied to match the circumstances of each unit. Unit patrol and inspection
activities for each level were carried out primarily by commanders to minimize the movement of
personnel, and such activities were gradually expanded by devising anti-epidemic measures to the
extent that no contact is made with civilians.

COVID-19
Response of the
ROK Armed Forces

2020 Defense White Paper