The government wants to send personal protective equipment to foreign Korean War veterans, who are now very old, to help protect them against coronavirus.

The priority is on veterans of the 1950-53 war and their families in countries with weak healthcare systems like Ethiopia, which was then part of the UN coalition.

A senior Foreign Ministry official told reporters Monday, "Top priority should be given to Korean War veterans since they have special relationships with our country."

"All of them are very old and therefore more susceptible to the virus," he added. "Every year, we send them various kinds of support, and this time we're discussing sending face masks."

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs is in discussion with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety about how to obtain an exemption from the export ban on face masks.

Separately, a government taskforce preparing celebrations of the war's 70th anniversary wants to send masks hand sanitizer to the poorer among the 22 South Korean allies.