[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Cheonanham Survivors Struggling to Find Employment

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] It has been revealed that 13 of the surviving soldiers of the Cheonan ship have not yet found employment. There are calls for the prompt registration of these individuals as national veterans as well as the implementation of employment support policies.

According to the government on the 10th, there are 58 surviving soldiers from the Cheonan ship incident. Currently, 24 are serving active duty in the military, while 34 have been discharged. Among the discharged soldiers, 12 have been registered as national veterans. Six were deemed below the grade criteria, and two were judged as not meeting the requirements.

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs explained the reason for the below-grade determination, stating, "Based on past medical records, the physical examination at the Veterans Hospital, and the review by the Veterans Review Committee composed of external experts, it was determined that the injuries did not meet the criteria for disability grades."

Soldiers who did not receive a disability grade can apply for a physical examination again either two years after the date of the decision or if the injury site recurs or worsens. This means that those who do not receive a disability grade in this review must wait another two years to receive the benefits and support accorded to national veterans.

Among the 34 discharged soldiers, 13 have still not found employment. Some of them hope to be re-employed as military officials or similar positions, but since they are not registered as national veterans, they cannot receive additional points in employment evaluations. Some employed individuals hope for civilian positions within the military, but since employment within the military is difficult, they are known to have taken temporary jobs as a stopgap measure.

There are also criticisms that the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs should prioritize policies for survivors rather than showy events such as attaching nameplates to the "House of National Veterans."

Kang Dae-sik, a member of the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee (People Power Party), said, "The Cheonan survivors live in the pain of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with guilt over losing their comrades, yet the Moon Jae-in administration tried to accept the claims of Shin Sang-chul, who is on trial for defamation due to falsehoods such as the Cheonan ship grounding theory and submarine collision theory, and attempted to reinvestigate the Cheonan incident, which is outrageous." He added, "There should be a fact-finding investigation into the reversal of the military death accident investigation committee’s decision, and laws should be established to provide medical and employment support for surviving soldiers as well as to punish defamation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.