95% of Veterans from the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, Cheonan Ship Sinking, and Yeonpyeong Island Bombardment Registered as National Merit Recipients

Eight Veterans of the First Battle of Yeonpyeong Not Recognized for PTSD
Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs: "We Will Strive for Fair Procedures Through Re-examination"

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs announced on the 24th that out of 149 veterans who participated in the three West Sea defense incidents?the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, the Cheonan ship sinking incident, and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling?119 applied for national merit registration, and among them, 113 (95%) were registered as national merit recipients.

On the morning of the 25th, the Black Eagles team is flying at the 7th West Sea Defense Day ceremony held at the National Daejeon National Cemetery. Photo by Jinhyung Kang, Daejeon aymsdream@

According to the Ministry, among the 113 registered national merit recipients, 55 were war casualties and 58 were war wounded. Of the 6 applicants currently under review, 5 are undergoing evaluation, and 1 was deemed ineligible. The remaining 30 have not applied for national merit registration due to ongoing military service or other reasons.

By incident, in the 2002 Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, all 20 of the 26 participating veterans who applied for national merit registration were registered (6 war casualties, 14 war wounded; 6 did not apply).

In the 2010 Cheonan ship sinking incident, out of 105 participating veterans, 81 applied for national merit registration, and among them, 77 were registered as national merit recipients, including 47 war casualties and 30 war wounded. Twenty-four have not applied due to ongoing military service or other reasons. Currently, 3 veterans are under review.

In the 2010 Yeonpyeong Island shelling incident, 16 of the 18 participating veterans were registered as national merit recipients (2 war casualties, 14 war wounded), while 2 were found to have disability grades below the required level.

In the past three years, 13 veterans from the three West Sea defense incidents have been registered as national merit recipients. This year, so far, 3 have been registered: 2 from the Cheonan ship sinking incident and 1 from the Yeonpyeong Island shelling. In 2022, 6 from the Cheonan ship sinking incident were registered; in 2023, 3 from the same incident; and in 2024, 1 from the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong have been registered and honored accordingly.

Additionally, in the 1999 First Battle of Yeonpyeong, out of 32 participating veterans, 13 are currently registered as national merit recipients (3 war wounded, 10 awarded for valor and national service). Thirteen others are undergoing registration review for war wounded status (including 3 awarded for valor, with some overlap), and 9 have not applied due to ongoing military service or other reasons.

Notably, last year, 10 veterans from the First Battle of Yeonpyeong applied for registration as war wounded (national merit recipients) due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recently, 2 were recognized as meeting the criteria for war wounded status, while 8 were deemed ineligible.

The Veterans Review Committee, composed of internal and external experts, comprehensively reviewed the 10 applicants by examining the onset circumstances, medical records, and specialist opinions. As a result, 2 were confirmed to have a long history of continuous PTSD treatment and difficulties in normal social activities such as education and employment, concluding that the battle directly contributed to the onset of PTSD.

However, the remaining 8 veterans were not recognized after a comprehensive review of their continuous PTSD treatment history following the First Battle of Yeonpyeong and whether their symptoms significantly interfered with daily life during prolonged social activity. The Ministry plans to ensure a fairer review process by providing these 8 veterans with sufficient opportunities to present additional evidence through a re-examination procedure.

Minister Kang Jeong-ae of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs stated, “I extend my deepest condolences and gratitude to the veterans who sacrificed and bear wounds while demonstrating fighting spirit to protect the Republic of Korea’s territory, the West Sea.” She added, “The government will never forget the sacrifices and dedication of the West Sea defense veterans who protect the nation, and will continue to devote itself to ensuring fair and objective evaluations so that appropriate honors and support are provided.”