The Transition Committee Reports to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs... "Upgrading the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to a Deputy Ministry is Not Desirable"

Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The Presidential Transition Committee has reached a tentative conclusion that the promotion of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to a higher status is inappropriate.

On the 29th, the Social Welfare and Culture Subcommittee of the Transition Committee received a briefing from the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs at the Transition Committee office in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Attending the briefing were Im Eija, a member of the People Power Party and secretary of the Social Welfare and Culture Subcommittee, transition committee members Ahn Sang-hoon, Baek Kyung-ran, Kim Do-sik, as well as directors and bureau chiefs from the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

After the briefing, the Transition Committee stated, "We agree that the respect and support for those who sacrificed and contributed to the nation should be strengthened," but also noted, "There were concerns that promoting the ministry is undesirable given the insufficient supervisory role over the political bias of the President of the Liberation Association."

Previously, Kim Won-woong, President of the Liberation Association, was dishonorably forced to resign last month after 2 years and 8 months in office amid allegations of embezzlement of profits. Last year, during the Liberation Day commemorative ceremony, he repeatedly called for the liquidation of pro-Japanese collaborators by labeling the regimes of Rhee Syngman, Park Chung-hee, and Park Geun-hye as "pro-Japanese regimes," which provoked backlash from the People Power Party.

During the briefing, opinions were expressed that strengthening medical accessibility through the expansion of veterans and entrusted hospitals is preferable to be pursued by expanding public medical institutions.

Additionally, it was suggested that employment support for discharged veterans should consider the characteristics of the beneficiaries but efficiently utilize the infrastructure of the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

Furthermore, as measures to resolve compensation disparities among veterans, discussions included △ a significant increase in the combat honor allowance for elderly war veterans △ deduction of veterans' compensation when calculating income for basic pension eligibility △ abolition of the support obligation criteria for the living adjustment allowance paid to veterans in financial hardship.

There was also an opinion that active measures to improve treatment for young conscripted soldiers are necessary.

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