Assemblyman Lim Jongdeuk of the People Power Party:
"Clear Administrative Mistake...
A Solution for Compensation Must Be Found"
On October 30, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek stated regarding a reservist who lost both arms in an accident during military service but was unable to receive a disability pension due to a faulty document, "I believe there must be proper compensation for those who have dedicated themselves to the nation," adding, "I would like to once again express my condolences for the disability caused by this unfortunate accident."
At the National Assembly Defense Committee’s comprehensive audit of the Ministry of National Defense that afternoon, Minister Ahn responded to questions from Assemblyman Lim Jongdeuk of the People Power Party, who pressed for an explanation of how the faulty official document was created in the case of Na Hyungyun (a reservist staff sergeant) who lost both arms in a work-related accident during his military service in 2006. Minister Ahn said, "Although it is difficult to verify the facts after so much time has passed, regardless of that, I will correct what was done wrong," making his position clear.
Na, who was commissioned as an Army non-commissioned officer in 2003, was electrocuted by high voltage electricity in 2006 while repairing a broken security light on the barbed wire fence at a General Outpost (GOP) unit in Goseong, Gangwon Province. As a result of this accident, he underwent eight surgeries over six months, but ultimately had both arms amputated and was honorably discharged from the military on June 30, 2007. Afterward, Na trained in cycling, one of the triathlon events, and in 2022 won a gold medal at the Invictus Games for wounded veterans held in The Hague, Netherlands.
However, it was at this competition that Na first learned about the existence of the "disability pension" system from a fellow athlete. The disability pension is a pension paid to soldiers who retire due to a disability caused by illness or injury incurred in the line of duty during military service, or to those who develop such a disability after retirement. He subsequently inquired about applying for the pension at the Ministry of National Defense, but was told that the statute of limitations had expired and he was not eligible. Under the current Military Personnel Compensation Act, "the right to receive such payment expires if not exercised within five years from the date the reason for payment arises."
Na was only able to obtain his medical records in 2022 through a request for information disclosure, but the document he received was reportedly "faulty." This was because the consent section of the medical investigation committee’s resolution, which verifies disability status at the military hospital, contained his fingerprint. However, Na uses prosthetic arms due to his accident, and neither his sister nor any other relatives had provided a fingerprint.
That was not all. The "medical investigation report," which is prepared by the military hospital before convening the medical investigation committee, also contained multiple errors. The document listed the basis for Na’s discharge as Ministry of National Defense Order No. 556-181, which applies to regular soldiers, not non-commissioned officers. Furthermore, Na was classified as Physical Grade 5 at the time, meaning he was designated for wartime labor service. This resulted in the irony of a person who had lost both arms being classified as eligible for wartime labor, rather than Grade 6 (discharge).
Assemblyman Lim pointed out, "Because Na was classified for wartime labor service due to the faulty official document, he was unable to receive the disability pension and was automatically excluded. This is clearly an administrative mistake and a legal error by the Ministry of National Defense. The existence of a fingerprint is evidence that the official document is false."
Assemblyman Lim continued, "Na did nothing wrong but was injured while serving the military, and despite suffering great harm since then, no one has paid attention. Since Minister Ahn has also pledged to take responsibility for those injured in service, the facts must be clarified through an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection, and ways to compensate Na for this injustice must be found."
In response to a related question from Defense Committee Chairman Sung Iljong, Minister Ahn said, "Regardless of the process, there was a very serious problem and I acknowledge the shortcomings. Now that it has been confirmed that he acquired a disability, I believe the state must take responsibility. I will reopen the procedures."
Testifying as a witness at the audit, Na stated, "I am not asking for a disability designation, but for fair treatment. If our soldiers see this reality, I wonder if anyone would risk their life to fight for the country in the event of war," adding, "I earnestly request that a bill be introduced to provide relief in cases where the military is clearly at fault."
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