[2024 Budget] National Merit Compensation Raised for 2 Consecutive Years... 5% Increase Next Year

Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Allocates 6.3948 Trillion KRW Budget for Next Year
Veteran Career Transition Support Payment Set at 770,000 KRW per Month Starting Next Year

From next year, the compensation paid to national veterans will increase by an average of 5%.

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs announced on the 29th that the 2024 budget under its jurisdiction has been set at 6.3948 trillion won, an increase of 206.2 billion won (3.3%) from this year’s 6.1886 trillion won. The compensation paid to national veterans will rise by 5% next year following a 5.5% increase this year, marking two consecutive years of increases exceeding 5%. In particular, to reduce the compensation gap among veterans, the compensation for Grade 7 disabled veterans, who receive relatively lower payments, and the allowance for children of soldiers who died in the Korean War (6·25) will be additionally increased. The compensation for Grade 7 disabled veterans will rise from 568,000 won this year to 608,000 won next year (a 7% increase), and the allowance for children of soldiers who died in the Korean War will increase from 439,000 won this year to 516,000 won next year (a 17.5% increase). The number of recipients eligible for the living adjustment allowance for low-income veterans will also be expanded.

Currently, the living adjustment allowance is paid regardless of the income or assets of the supporting family member only if the recipient is severely disabled, but from next year, elderly persons aged 65 or older will also be included as eligible recipients. The honor allowance paid to veterans will be increased by 30,000 won per month to 420,000 won.

To enhance the utilization of national memorial halls managed by the government that have been established for more than 10 years (Baekbeom, Yun Bong-gil, Ahn Jung-geun, and UN Peace Memorial Halls), 7 billion won has been allocated to create an 'ICT-based empathetic digital exhibition hall.' Additionally, 200 million won has been allocated to install a commemorative sculpture in Germany, the only Korean War participant country without a local memorial facility, and a total of 9.4 billion won has been assigned for remodeling the LA Heungsadan Dan-so. To mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, the 'Heroes in Uniform' project, which provided uniforms to Korean War veterans this year, will be expanded next year to include Vietnam War veterans, with a budget of 21.9 billion won.

A total of 46.3 billion won has been allocated for the construction and expansion of national cemeteries, including the establishment of the National Yeoncheon Memorial Cemetery and the expansion of burial facilities at five patriotic cemeteries in Yeongcheon, Imsil, Icheon, Sancheong, and Goesan. Furthermore, design services for the construction of national cemeteries will be pursued in the Gangwon and Jeonnam regions, which currently lack national cemeteries.

The transition support allowance paid to discharged soldiers to support stable job-seeking activities will be increased by 10%. From next year, long-term service discharged soldiers will receive 770,000 won per month, up from 700,000 won, and mid-term service discharged soldiers will receive 550,000 won per month, up from 500,000 won.

To improve the veterans’ medical environment, a total project cost of 29.5 billion won will be invested by 2028 to relocate outpatient clinics and examination rooms at the Central Veterans Hospital, and 18.3 billion won will be invested by 2027 to expand facilities such as the emergency room and operating rooms at the Gwangju Veterans Hospital.

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