"Highest Level of Recognition in the Nation" Hwacheon County Raises Korean War Veterans' Honorary Allowance to 600,000 Won

Hwacheon County Applies Revised Ordinance from October, Raises Allowances by 100,000 Won Per Month
600,000 Won for Korean War Veterans, 400,000 Won for Vietnam War Veterans
County Pledges to "Honor Heroes Until the End"... "Only 33 Survivors Remain"

Hwacheon County, located in the border area of Gangwon Province, continues to provide the highest level of recognition in the country for veterans who served in the war.

In May, Korean War veterans from the Hwacheon area visited the Freedom Defense Martyrs Memorial Tower in Hwacheon-eup to pay their respects. Provided by Hwacheon County

Hwacheon County announced that, following the amendment of the ordinance on support for veterans by the county council last month, it will increase and pay the allowances starting this month.

According to the revised ordinance, the honorary allowance for Korean War veterans has been raised by 100,000 won, from 500,000 won to 600,000 won per month, and the honorary allowance for Vietnam War veterans has also been raised by 100,000 won, from 300,000 won to 400,000 won per month.

In addition, with the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province veteran honorary allowance of 60,000 won added, Korean War veterans will receive a total of 660,000 won per month, while Vietnam War veterans will receive 460,000 won per month.

Even before the ordinance was amended, Hwacheon County's honorary allowance for veterans was the highest in the nation. However, the county decided to increase the payments to further strengthen recognition for the heroes who sacrificed for the country.

Because the number of veterans, who are already of advanced age, is decreasing significantly every year, the county is determined to care for their lives until the very end.

In fact, the number of Korean War veterans in the Hwacheon area has been declining: 100 in 2020, 82 in 2021, 68 in 2022, 62 in 2023, and 50 last year.

As of May, based on resident registration, only 33 Korean War veterans currently remain alive in the Hwacheon area.

In addition, Hwacheon County provides a monthly veterans' allowance of 260,000 won (including 60,000 won from the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province veterans' allowance) to special mission veterans, and 200,000 won per month to patients suffering from aftereffects of Agent Orange exposure.

Choi Moonsun, the mayor of Hwacheon County, stated, "Thanks to the veterans who risked their lives to fight when the nation was in crisis, we are now able to enjoy peace and prosperity," emphasizing, "No amount of recognition for them can ever be enough."

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