Two military officers test positive for new coronavirus

Defense 10:54 December 17, 2020

SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- One Air Force officer and an Army officer tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Thursday.

The Air Force officer, stationed in the central city of Cheongju, was confirmed to have been infected upon arrival from Japan after participating in job-related education programs there, according to the ministry.

The other officer from a unit directly under the wing of the defense ministry in the city of Anyang, just south of Seoul, tested positive after coming into contact with his family member who earlier contracted the virus, it added.

The latest cases brought the total number of COVID-19 infections among the military population to 474.

Currently, 913 service members are in isolation in accordance with the health authorities' guidelines, and the military has quarantined an additional 4,269 people under stricter antivirus schemes of its own as a preventive step, according to the ministry.

Nationwide, South Korea added 1,014 more COVID-19 cases, including 993 local infections, Thursday, raising the total caseload to 46,453, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).