Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

- Establishment of a standard model through a mission performance plan/pilot education led by the minister-

□ On February 22, the Ministry of National Defense held a videoconference in order to conduct a final check on the military support readiness for vaccine distribution and to establish a standard model of mission performance, which was presided over by Minister Suh.

◦The conference was attended by the main commanders, including the chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chief of staff of each armed service, personnel from the ministry’s COVID-19 task force and the echelon-level task force, and the main officials from related organizations, including the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

□ The conference started with a report on the final check on the transportation task force’s vaccine transportation readiness, and this was followed by △ a report on the plan for mission performance briefed by the commander of operations of each armed service, △51st Division’s presentation on a standard plan for 『mission performance of the division-level or lower echelon having responsibility for the region』, and △hearing the opinions of participants.

◦The transportation task force reported a plan for the transportation·escort·storage of the AstraZeneca vaccines that are due to be shipped on February 24.

◦The operations command of each armed service made presentations on △a plan for escort by transport phase and △a contingency plan for transportation by air and sea, taking the environment and mission for each unit into account.

○ The 51st Division presented a standard model of the mission performance procedure by echelon·organization, including △vigilance on the vaccination facilities in the assigned area, △storage and management of the vaccines, △military support for vaccinations, and △ensuring a cooperative relationship between military and police.

□ Minister Suh Wook stressed the following:

○ “Safe and speedy transportation of the vaccines is not only a mission we have been given by the people thanks to their trust in us, but also is a cornerstone of successful vaccination.”

○ “Just as the saying ‘Jultakdongsi’ means that it takes cooperation to achieve great work, let’s strive to allow the people to return to their peaceful daily lives as soon as possible by integrating the capabilities of private·public·military·police and securing safe vaccination through mutually organic cooperation and active administration,” Suh added.