Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
11-men Ebola team to be sent to Sierra Leone
By Jung Min-ho
The Korean government will send 11 medical staff to Ebola-stricken Sierra Leone to join the global campaign to help fight the epidemic, the defense ministry said Thursday.
The team will arrive in the African country on Nov. 13 alongside a British team, after finishing preparation for joint operations in the United Kingdom, the ministry noted.
Before the decision, Vice Minister of National Defense Baek Seung-joo and John Astor, a parliamentary undersecretary of state at the British defense ministry, discussed cooperation in a phone call Wednesday.
“Astor expressed his deep gratitude for our government’s decision to send the team,” the Korean defense ministry said. “He also pledged to provide support for our personnel in the event of an emergency.”
The Korean government said about 20 medical staff will eventually be sent to the region to help eradicate Ebola, which has killed nearly 5,000 people across West Africa. In Sierra Leone alone, more than 1,510 have died so far.