This is not a US Military affiliated blog. South of Seoul independently researches and documents situations related to different foreigner groups in Korea. We do not speak for the US government or Korean government. We speak to what is happening in real time and the information provided to us by professional sources.
We will update information as we learn of changes and clarifications.
****FINAL UPDATE: As of 02/2022 the information included in this no longer applies due to changes in South Korean COVID-19 policy. The blog remains posted as documentation of a point in time.
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The Difference Between US Military SOFA Status and Resident Visa Status: The problem
US Military personnel live in Korea under the South Korean Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Under SOFA, the South Korean government does not require US Soldiers to register in Korea as residents of the country. This means that many US Military personnel do not enter into Korean social systems such as phone, banking, or health care since they have no Alien Registration Card (ARC).
Due to not having an ARC, the US Military regularly experiences inconveniences related to their non-resident living status. Such inconveniences have primarily included issues related to banking and payment systems. However, with the adaptation of electronic vaccine verification across the country – US Military personnel who did not choose to voluntarily apply for an ARC found themselves inconvenienced in new ways.
With the increased reliance on digital systems, businesses across South Korea began denying entry to US Military personnel as government regulations related to vaccine verification increased and US Military do not have their vaccines registered in the Korean systems. Confusion about vaccine verification ensued.
South of Seoul started to wonder, “What does the South Korean government consider official/legal proof of vaccination for US Military personnel who don’t have electronic verification options in South Korea?” We decided to go straight to the source and call 1339 to get the information from them. The following blog is based on information provided by 1339.
1339 is the Korean Center for Disease Control (KCDC hotline in Korea. They provide the official information on what is happening in Korea right now. Korean’s can also call 1339 to confirm information.
The Official Korean and US Goverenment Solution for Vaccine Verification for US Military Personnel
In order to overcome the foreign government vaccine verification issues experienced by US Military personnel, the US Government and Korean Government agreed that US Military Personnel could verify their foreign vaccinations at US Military Health Centers on US Military Bases and that paperwork would be accepted (Information gathered from 1339). In this agreement, local Korean health centers said they would not register US Military vaccines in the Korean Health System (Information gathered from 1339).
Yes, we realize US Military personal have registered with local Korean Public Health Centers. Essenctially, such Public Health Centers have chosen to do their own thing. Such centers appear to have gone against official policy from the Korean federal government (Information gathered from 1339). More will be written about this in another blog, for now we are sticking with the paper verification received by US Military personnel on US Military bases that is approved by the South Korean government.
According to official agreement between the US Government and the Korean government (Information gathered from 1339), the US Military Personnel take the US CDC card such as this:
to the health center on a US Military base and the US Military personnel will then receive the following document which confirms that the vaccine is valid for use during their time living in South Korea (Information gathered from 1339):
According to official South Korean government policy, this document should be accepted across South Korea a legal South Korean verification of ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ for US Military Personnel (Information gathered from 1339). South of Seoul asked 1339 for an official copy of the policy regarding such a paper, however, 1339 officials said that internal government agency policy can’t be shared publically… which may be why the following situation occurred.
Issues Using ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ Certificates for US Military Personnel Living in Korea
A quick look at two issues related to the ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ paperwork from the viewpoint of US Military personnel attempting to navigate the process of verifying their foreign vaccines in South Korea.
US Military Procedure for Aquiring the ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ May Be Complicated
Reports from US Military personnel on the base state that getting the “Form 49” may be more complicated than the KCDC makes it sound. The “military cannot get the form 49 from the base health centers, at least not at Humphreys. Individual units have to issue the forms. I tried to get one at the base hospital and found this out.” This added level of difficulty likely adds to the confusion for many US Military personnel.
Acceptance of the ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ Varies Across Korea
Despite the official agreement between South Korea and the United States regarding US Military personnel vaccinations, Korean businesses do not always accept the ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ certificates. In reality, the further that US Military personnel get from US Military bases the more they find businesses do not want to accept their vaccine verifications.
The situation exists that information regarding the official nature of such US Military ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ certificates remains limited. Such a lack of information may contribute to US Military personnel being refused service for not having their information registered in the Korean medical system. This causes many US Military personnel extensive hardship while living in South Korea.
South of Seoul decided to ask 1339 if they could be part of a possible solution and verify the validity of ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ certificates with businesses. 1339 agreed that they can confirm the validity of the ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ certificates.
US Military with Issues Related to the Acceptance of their ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ May Call 1339 for Verification
If you are US Military Personnel and you have the following original paper in hand:
- Not a photograph
- Not a photocopy
- Not lamentated
- With the top left number clearly printed
and find a business unwilling to accept the original paperwork as ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ you may call 1339. 1339 will verify with the business that your paperwork is accepted in South Korea and they will be compliant with the law and not be fined. (Please keep reading after this image for more information)
REMINDER: KCDC said that US CDC cards can NOT be used as vaccine verification off of the base. Businesses can be fined for accepting US CDC cards as they have not been verified through the correct channels (Information gathered from 1339):
Calling 1339 From Your Smartphone
This number needs to be called from a smartphone or cellphone.
HAVE THE BUSINESS CALL 1339 TO CONFIRM PAPERWORK MEETS GOVERNMENT RULES
The KCDC line can’t look up the number in a system, but they can confirm with the business that the paperwork they are looking at will be accepted and keep them from getting fined. If someone at the business speaks English, you can simply ask them to call 1339 to confirm.
However, if the business does have trouble understanding why to call 1339 because of the language barrier, you may also try the following solution.
HOW US MILITARY PERSONNEL CAN CALL 1339
The process of calling 1339 may take 5-10 minutes and you will need to clearly explain your situation. Read the following information carefully in order to best use 1339.
- When you call 1339 you will experience a phone tree in Korea. Simply wait it out, you can’t press the prompt early.
- At the end of the phone tree you will be given the option to enter 6 for foreign languages. Press 6
- When you press 6, more information may begin in Korean. Just wait, an English speaker will come on the phone in a bit. (Yes, this is weird, but just wait for it.)
- Remember, the person who answers the phone is not used to dealing with this situation so explain it carefully. Below is an example script
EXAMPLE SCRIPT: I am US Military. I am holding a ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ which I recieved from the health center on a US Military base. According to Korean policy this paper approves my vaccine for acceptance in South Korea.
I have shown this to a business. The business does not recognize this as a valid form of vaccine verification. The business does not want to allow me to enter. Can you please confirm that the ‘Confirmation of COVID Vaccination’ for US Soldiers is an official document recognized by the Korean goverenment?
(Once the 1339 agrees to confirm the type of document is legal, hand your smart phone to the business staff.)
The 1339 Not a Translation Service
The KCDC hotline is not a free translation service. The 1339 KCDC hotline can simply explain policy and inform callers on what is allowed and not allowed. Each government and agency may interpret some regulations differently, in this case, the KCDC will direct you to a local contact.
Outcomes Can Not Be Guaranteed
The situation in South Korea changes each day and businesses remain under constant pressure and stress. Even with the support, businesses do have the right to make their own choices. This will not feel good.
The information contained in this blog came from the KCDC and interviews with US Military personnel. If you receive different information from the KCDC or have information that helps add to this information, message us at blog@southofseoul.net. The situation related to US Military Personnel and their proof of vaccination is evolving.
Additionally, South of Seoul does not claim to have any sort of superior knowledge related to this topic. We do not claim any authority or claim to be “right” about anything. This blog simply represents our best attempt to document the current situation and offer possible support using the available public services at hand.
Additional Information Coming Soon…
South of Seoul volunteers continue to work on information related to the unique situation faced by the US Military in South Korea.
Founded in 2015, the South of Seoul team consists of volunteers on three continents working together to support English-speaking people traveling or living in South Korea. South of Seoul volunteers work with organizations and individuals across South Korea to improve equitable access to information across South Korea. Much of South of Seoul’s information focuses on Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
Blogs published under the authorship of “South of Seoul” include blogs compiled by multiple volunteers to improve access to standardized information unrelated to individualized personal experiences.
