• Beom-Man Ha, Hunjong Lim, Jeong-A Yu, and Jae-Hyeop Jung.
• Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea Armed Forces Medical Command, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 13574, Republic of Korea.
• Mil Med. 2024 Nov 5; 189 (11-12): e2545e2549e2545-e2549.

IntroductionThis study aimed to examine the prevalence of cold injuries and review the cold injury monitoring system in the South Korean military.Materials And MethodsThis study conducted a retrospective and cross-sectional analysis using data from the Defense Medical Statistic Information System (DMSIS) on cold injuries among military personnel from 2018 to 2023. It incorporated findings from the Korean Armed Forces Medical Command's cold injury surveillance system and analyzed cases from the Armed Forces Capital Hospital, covering all branches of the military by status and rank.ResultsAn analysis of cold injury in the South Korean military over the past 5 years revealed varying numbers of cases treated, from 799 in 2018-2019 to 467 in 2022-2023. According to the surveillance system in 2023-2024, the Army experienced the majority of these cases, with 94.5% of the total. The incidence per 1,000 personnel was the highest in the Army at 0.98 compared to the Air Force and Navy/Marine Corps. Rank-based analysis indicated the most affected were private first-class soldiers. Frostbite was the most frequent condition, alongside chilblains, hypothermia, and immersion injuries, with no marked difference in the type of illness across branches.ConclusionsThe study underscores the need for focused prevention and treatment, particularly in the Army. By analyzing data from a newly implemented surveillance system, it revealed a higher incidence of frostbite and chilblains among lower ranks. The findings highlight the importance of targeted educational measures and enhanced response strategies to protect personnel against cold injuries.© The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2024. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site–for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.

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