'Uihyang Jeonnam' to Strengthen Recognition and Support for Veterans and Their Families

Increase in Veterans Honor Allowance
Expansion of Eligibility for Veterans Honor Allowance

Promotional Material for Veterans Policy in Jeonnam Province. Provided by Jeonnam Province

Jeonnam Province announced on January 11 that it will expand its veterans policy in 2026 by increasing the honor allowance for veterans, broadening the eligibility for the veterans honor allowance, and strengthening medical support for the families of independence patriots. These measures aim to further enhance recognition for those who have served the nation and their families.

The focus is on carefully addressing the lives of veterans and eliminating institutional blind spots, ensuring that compensation and recognition befitting their sacrifice and dedication are delivered in a practical manner on the ground.

Accordingly, to honor the service of veterans of the Korean War and the Vietnam War and to support their financial stability, the monthly honor allowance for veterans will be increased from 50,000 won to 70,000 won. This phased increase is intended to help elderly veterans maintain a more stable livelihood.

In particular, if the honor allowance provided by Jeonnam Province is combined with the city and county veterans honor allowances, recipients can receive up to 270,000 won per month depending on their age and region.

The scope of the veterans honor allowance, which was previously limited to the families of those killed or who died in the line of duty, will be expanded through an ordinance revision to include those wounded in action and recipients of special mission merit. By including those who had been relatively excluded from compensation and recognition, in line with the government’s policy of “special compensation for special sacrifice,” the range of veterans eligible for recognition will be further broadened.

Medical support for the families of independence patriots will also be strengthened. The annual limit for medical expense support, previously set at 1 million won per couple, will be expanded to 1 million won each for the surviving family member and their spouse, reducing the medical burden for elderly families and supporting a more stable life.

The eligibility to use the temporary charnel house at Namdo Regional Memorial Park in Haenam, which is operating until the opening of the National Jangheung Patriots Cemetery in 2029, will also be expanded.

Previously limited to national merit recipients themselves, the use of this facility will be extended to their spouses, resolving inconveniences caused by institutional gaps and further strengthening respect for veterans and their families so that they are honored until the very end.

Jeonnam Province will not stop at increasing allowances and improving systems, but also plans to publish a history of the independence movement in Jeonnam to carry on the spirit of “Uihyang Jeonnam.”

The province plans to systematically compile and publish by 2027 the history of the independence movement in Jeonnam and the activities of independence activists from the region, covering the period from the second Donghak Peasant Movement in 1895 to the liberation in 1945.

This initiative is expected to go beyond honoring individual independence patriots, establishing the historical significance of Jeonnam’s leadership in the anti-Japanese independence movement, and passing on its value as a proud historical legacy to future generations.

Jung Gwangsun, Director of Health and Welfare for Jeonnam Province, stated, “The 2026 veterans policy of Jeonnam is not limited to increasing allowances and expanding support, but also aims to spread the value of honoring veterans throughout history and daily life, such as through the publication of Jeonnam’s independence movement history. We will promote policies centered on ‘spreading a culture of honoring veterans in everyday life’ so that recognition for veterans is naturally felt by residents, not just on commemorative days.”

He added, “We will continue to carefully address the lives of veterans and their families, and ensure that recognition for those who have served the nation continues in all aspects of daily life through ongoing policy improvements and support.”