Kelo Unit to Receive Government Compensation... Promulgation of the 'June 25 Irregular Forces Compensation Act'

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]Members and bereaved families of irregular special forces units such as the 'KLO Unit' (KLO), which operated during the Korean War, will be able to receive government compensation.

The Ministry of National Defense announced on the 13th that the "Act on Compensation for Irregular Forces Who Served in Enemy Territories Before and After the Korean War" has been promulgated and will take effect six months later. Accordingly, members and bereaved families of units such as the KLO Unit and the U.S. 8240 Unit, who infiltrated enemy territories and conducted irregular warfare from August 15, 1948, to July 27, 1953, can apply for compensation starting this October. Applications must be submitted within two years after the law takes effect. Detailed information can be found in the notices section on the Ministry of National Defense website.

The Ministry of National Defense explained, "Once this law is implemented, it will be possible to restore the honor of irregular forces who made special sacrifices during the Korean War but were not recognized for their contributions because they belonged to foreign military forces or were civilians rather than regular troops."

According to the roster held by the Ministry of National Defense, the number of eligible members from units such as the KLO Unit and the U.S. 8240 Unit reaches approximately 18,000. Considering that most beneficiaries of this law are elderly, aged over 80, the Ministry added that it will do its best to promptly prepare enforcement ordinances and detailed rules to ensure early implementation of the law.

The KLO Unit, meaning Korea Liaison Office, was an undercover intelligence unit organized by the U.S. Far East Command on June 1, 1949, mainly composed of individuals from North Korean regions. It conducted numerous secret operations during the Korean War in connection with the U.S. 8240 Unit.

The National Human Rights Commission recommended in 2007 to the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Minister of National Defense to amend the Special Mission Performers Compensation Act or enact a separate law so that KLO Unit members could also receive compensation from the Korean government. Since then, compensation for KLO Unit members has been continuously discussed since the 18th National Assembly (May 30, 2008 ? May 29, 2012), but the passage of the bill was delayed due to disagreements among ministries.

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