Two S. Korean soldiers infected with influenza A: official

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, July 16 (Yonhap) -- Two South Korean soldiers, including one at the truce
village straddling the border with North Korea, were confirmed Thursday to have
been infected with influenza A, a government official said.
A corporal at the Joint Security Area (JSA) is believed to have contracted the
H1N1 virus from tourists, while the other soldier, a sergeant, recently attended
an international conference on religion, the official said.
"The JSA soldier had escorted foreign tourists visiting the Panmunjom village,"
Kang Sung-heub, who oversees health affairs at the Ministry of National Defense,
told reporters.
"The tour has been suspended, while seven soldiers he worked with are now being
watched at a separate facility at the JSA for possible symptoms," he said.
The army sergeant who was also infected had taken part in a religious forum late
last month through early this month, during his final furlough, Kang said.
Three South Korean soldiers stationed at an airport to support quarantine
activities tested positive earlier this month for the new H1N1 flu, marking the
first case involving the military.
The number of South Korea's flu infections rose to more than 610 as of Thursday,
according to health authorities.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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