'Extension of Application Period for Military Retirement Pay for Veterans Discharged Before 1959' Amendment Proposed

Lim Jong-deuk Proposes Amendment to Extend Application Period for Retirement Pay
for Military Personnel Retired Before December 31, 1959

A related bill to extend the application period for retirement pay for military personnel or their survivors who retired before December 31, 1959, has been proposed.

On the 6th, Lim Jong-deuk, a member of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly from the People Power Party, announced that he had taken the lead in proposing the "Partial Amendment to the Special Act on the Payment of Retirement Benefits for Military Personnel Retired before December 31, 1959," which contains such provisions.

This law is a special act that provides retirement benefits to military personnel who served on active duty for more than two years and retired before December 31, 1959, with a rank of Sergeant First Class (Jungsa) or higher. Until now, under the "Government Employees Pension Act" enacted in 1960, retirement pay was provided to military personnel discharged after 1960, but those discharged before the enactment of the law were excluded from receiving retirement pay.

The Ministry of National Defense has reviewed and paid retirement benefits to about 47,000 eligible individuals over the past 20 years. However, it is reported that approximately 14,000 unpaid individuals still remain as of the current standard. In particular, due to the inadequate administrative system before and after the Korean War (6·25 War), the number of newly identified unpaid individuals is increasing every year. Therefore, Lim believes there is a need to extend the application period.

The amendment proposed by Lim includes extending the application period for retirement pay until June 30, 2028, and maintaining the review committee until June 30, 2032. Since most of the unpaid individuals are veterans, the plan is to locate the survivors of deceased eligible persons and pay the retirement benefits to them.

Lim said, "The main beneficiaries of this law amendment are mostly veterans of the 6·25 War, and a culture of national responsibility for honoring those who sacrificed for the country must be established," adding, "I will strive for a prompt amendment."