US Forces Korea requires all members at bases to wear masks amid COVID-19 pandemic

Members of the U.S. Forces Korea wait for their colleagues arriving from overseas at Incheon International Airport, April 7. Yonhap

The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Friday that all individuals on its installations will be required to wear masks or cloth face coverings in public spaces to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Effective Friday, all people at military installations must wear a mask if they cannot maintain at least a 2-meter distance in public areas or work centers, the USFK said in a press release

The measure will be toughened starting Saturday, as all individuals on installations "will be required to wear a cloth face coverings or mask in the Commissary, PX/BX, Shoppette, Food Court and Post Office during HPCON C and C+,” it said, citing its Health Protection Condition Levels (HPCON).

The USFK issued an HPCON level of Charlie Plus, or C+, for Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base located in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, while all other USFK installations are operating at HPCON Charlie.

Charlie/C+ is the fourth highest warning level in the five-scale system. If the level is brought a notch higher to HPCON D, wearing masks will be necessary at all times outside of residences, according to the USFK.

"As a courtesy and sign of solidarity with our host nation communities, all USFK personnel are encouraged to wear cloth face coverings or masks when off installation; the face covering is a visible sign of our commitment to combating COVID-19 and a testament to the US-ROK Alliance," it added.

The USFK then said it will issue two masks per member starting next week.

As of Friday, the U.S. military had reported a total of 21 confirmed COVID-19 infections, including two active-duty personnel. (Yonhap)