USFK, KDCA Sign MOU to Strengthen Quarantine Cooperation for U.S. Military Aircraft

Photo By Jee Yeon Kim | Col. Eric Swanson, U.S. Forces Korea Command Surgeon and Chairman of the KDCA/SOFA Subcommittee, and a Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) official sign a Memorandum of Understanding during the 2026 SOFA Subcommittee on Disease Prevention and Control in Osong, Aug. 13. The agreement strengthens quarantine cooperation for U.S. military aircraft.  

SOUTH KOREA

08.13.2026

Story by HOCHONG SONG 

U.S. Forces Korea

OSONG, Republic of Korea – U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) held the 2026 Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) Subcommittee on Disease Prevention and Control in Osong on Aug. 13 and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen quarantine cooperation for U.S. military aircraft.

USFK and KDCA have maintained close coordination and cooperation through regular meetings of the SOFA Subcommittee on Disease Prevention and Control, sharing information on infectious disease trends and other key public health issues. With the signing of the MOU, the two sides will resume quarantine procedures for U.S. military and military-contracted aircraft that had been suspended following the COVID-19 pandemic and further strengthen coordination to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases.

Key areas of cooperation include:

• Introduction of Aircraft Health Declarations: USFK will conduct quarantine measures for all U.S. personnel entering the Republic of Korea through seven designated locations, including health screening of passengers, testing, isolation and treatment, contact tracing, and disinfection of conveyances. When symptomatic individuals are identified, USFK will provide an Aircraft Health Declaration to KDCA at the end of each month. Confirmed cases of designated quarantine infectious diseases will be reported to KDCA immediately.
• Nationwide Expansion of Quarantine Locations: Quarantine cooperation, previously centered on Osan Air Base, will expand to seven major bases and airports nationwide — Osan, Kunsan, Daegu, Gimhae, Gwangju and Suwon airports, as well as Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek — to ensure consistent quarantine procedures.
• Sharing Infectious Disease Information: USFK will continue to collect data on infectious disease threats and share information with KDCA on Class 1, 2 and 3 notifiable infectious diseases through quarterly meetings of the SOFA Subcommittee on Disease Prevention and Control.

A USFK official said, “Protecting the health and safety of both USFK personnel and the people of the Republic of Korea is a core priority of the ROK-U.S. Alliance. Through transparent and timely information sharing with KDCA, USFK will continue to strengthen our collective public health response capabilities.”

A KDCA official said, “This MOU will enable us to proactively manage the risk of infectious diseases entering the Republic of Korea through U.S. military aircraft and further strengthen the network for timely and accurate information sharing with USFK. We will continue our close cooperation to protect the health and safety of the Korean people from infectious diseases.”

• Date Taken: 08.13.2026
• Date Posted: 08.13.2026 21:51
• Story ID: 572392
• Location: KR