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| Protective clothes and COVID-19 test kits are loaded on a transport plane at Incheon International Airport to be sent to Romania, March 27. Korea plans to send face masks to Korean War veterans in 22 countries soon. Yonhap |
By Kim Rahn
Korea will provide face masks to Korean War veterans in 22 countries to help them prevent the spread of COVID-19, an act of gratitude for their sacrifice for and contribution to the nation, according to the 70th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Committee, Thursday.
The provision comes as 2020 marks the 70th year since the war broke out in 1950. In the three-year war, more than 1.9 million service members from 22 countries belonging to U.N. forces took part, and 37,902 of them died.
"All 22 countries have been suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, and it is urgent to help surviving war veterans get face masks as their average age is 88 and they are vulnerable to virus infections," said the committee, which is a joint organization of the government and private sectors.
It said the provision will be carried out under the theme of "The Korean government repaying the kindness given 70 years ago."
The committee plans to provide a total of 1 million masks, half of which will be sent to the United States, where over 90 percent of the total Korean War veterans were from. The other half will be delivered to the remaining 21 countries according to the number of veterans and the severity of the virus spread there.
For the U.S., where the largest number of masks will be sent, the committee will use a Repubic of Korea Air Force transport aircraft through cooperation with the defense ministry, with the plane scheduled to depart Gimhae air base on Friday. For other countries with smaller numbers, it will seek to provide them through Korean diplomatic missions there via consultation with the foreign ministry.
"We believe the delivery will be finished by mid-May," it said.
The committee and the government said the provision decision was based on the sufficient supply of face masks for citizens here. Currently taking masks from Korea is banned in principle, but there are exceptions such as for humanitarian purposes.
"We'll consider additional provisions if the pandemic situation in Korea is getting better and citizens here can buy as many masks as they want at any time with the mask rationing system being lifted," the committee said.
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