'No Veterans, No Defense'... Seoul City Promotes Ex-Servicemen's Exemption from Public Facility Usage Fees

Benefits for Long-Term Discharged Veterans Using Public Facilities
Counseling Center in Operation Since 2022... Expanded Support
From Housing to Mobility Card Discounts... Additional Benefits Under Discussion

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is promoting a plan to exempt long-term discharged veterans from public facility usage fees. Reflecting the policy stance of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon that "there is no national defense without veterans," Seoul is rolling out a series of benefits for discharged soldiers.

According to Seoul City on the 6th, the city announced the legislative notice for partial amendments to four ordinances the day before: the Seoul Metropolitan Science Museum Management and Operation Ordinance, the Seoul Metropolitan Museum Management and Operation Ordinance, the Seoul Metropolitan Art Museum Management and Operation Ordinance, and the Seoul Metropolitan Sports Facilities Installation and Operation Ordinance.

On the 10th, participants are looking at the job posting board at the '2024 Veterans Employment and Entrepreneurship Fair' held at the Peace Plaza of the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The amendment includes provisions granting admission fee discounts to long-term discharged veterans. Long-term discharged veterans refer to those who have served on active duty for more than 10 years and were discharged as officers, warrant officers, or non-commissioned officers under the Act on Support for Discharged Soldiers.

With this measure, the Science Museum, Museum, and Art Museum will exempt these individuals from admission fees. Currently, the Science Museum charges a 2,000 KRW admission fee for general adult individuals. Admission fee discounts will also be provided for metropolitan sports facilities. Representative venues include Jamsil Sports Complex, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Gocheok Dome, and Mokdong Stadium. These amended ordinances will be enforced from the date of promulgation after review and resolution by the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

So far, Seoul has expanded support projects to strengthen the treatment of discharged soldiers. With the responsibility that "there is no national defense without veterans," Seoul opened the nation's first Youth Injured Veterans Counseling Center in March 2022 and has been operating it since. In October of the same year, Seoul also enacted the nation's first Youth Injured Veterans Support Ordinance to promote practical support.

In 2023, Seoul directly proposed to the Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs the introduction of a system granting additional points for civil service and public enterprise exams for youth injured discharged veterans. Seoul also suggested nationwide expansion of the counseling centers it operates.

Housing support has also been provided for discharged veterans injured during military service. The city introduced the "Hero Youth Housing," allowing residence in newly built apartments near subway stations at monthly rents about 40-50% lower than market prices, around 200,000 KRW per month, for up to 10 years. Additionally, to alleviate transportation inconveniences for youth reservists participating in training for capital defense, the "Reservist Accompanying Bus" has been operated, leading efforts to improve training environments for local reservists. Recently, the climate companion card youth discount benefit for discharged veterans was extended up to 3 years (until age 42).