Foreign Travel Allowed for Soldiers

Military officials and soldiers are now able to privately travel abroad for up to three months at most.
According to the Ministry of National Defense on May 20, it recently decided to lift the current restrictions on foreign travel by military personnel in preparation of the 21st century, in which a 'Cold War' mentality will no longer exist and a greater international sense is needed.
So far, non-commissioned officers and officers were allowed to travel outside of the country only in the event a direct family member residing outside the country had died or was seriously ill or celebrating a marriage, but the new system enables most military members to go abroad as long as a request is received a month before.
Moreover, the length of travel, likewise, will be prolonged from 23 days to 3 months.
Military authorities have restricted foreign travel by active soldiers due to the possibility they could be be kidnapped by North Korean agents and reveal sensitive military secrets.
The 1997 International Monetary Fund(IMF) bailout also curtailed military personnel from leaving the country as governmental organizations and the private sector limited travel due to the foreign currency crisis.
Hwashik Bong : trojans@joongang.co.kr