Official Launch of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Elevated for the First Time in 62 Years

Number of Employees Increased from 62 to 337

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will be elevated to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans after 62 years and officially launched on the 5th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Park Min-sik, the first minister of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, will begin his first schedule by paying respects to the patriotic martyrs and national heroes at the National Daejeon National Cemetery at 8 a.m. on the same day. He will then hold an inauguration ceremony at the Government Sejong Complex, unveil the ministry’s blueprint, and install a new nameplate at the first-floor entrance. The event is expected to be attended by about 300 people, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Deputy Minister of National Defense Shin Beom-cheol, families of patriots, foreign diplomats in Korea, and heads of veterans’ organizations.

Starting as the Military Veterans Affairs Office in 1961, the agency was promoted to a 'Cheo' (Office) in 1985 and has now been elevated to a 'Bu' (Ministry) this year. With this promotion to a ministry, the minister will have the right to deliberate and decide at the Cabinet meetings as a member of the State Council, exercise constitutional departmental authority, and independently issue ministerial ordinances, significantly enhancing its powers and functions. The organization has also expanded: the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans will grow from the existing structure of 1 Office, 9 Bureaus, and 24 Divisions to a new structure of 2 Offices (including the Veterans Policy Office), 10 Bureaus (including the Veterans Medical Review Bureau), and 29 Divisions (including the Memorial Facilities Policy Division). The number of staff will increase by 26 to a total of 337. Currently, there are 18 ministries in the administration; this will increase to 19 ministries.