Gov`t Finalized Compensation Plan for Ex-Spies

The government finalized its plan to compensate ex-spies to North Korea, better known as Headquarters of Intelligence Detachment (HID).

The military sent the application form for compensation yesterday to former spies, who were actually sent to North Korea or trained to carry out espionage missions from 1951 to 1994.

According to the plan, the government provided four categories under which former spies will be differentially compensated. The four categories are ① the period of the Korean War (Mar. 6, 1951 to Jul. 27, 1953) ② the period of carrying out special missions in quasi-wartime after the Korean War (Jul. 29, 1953 to Dec. 31, 1959) ③ the period of carrying out special missions in the non-wartime until the July 4 Joint Statement (Jan. 1, 1960 to Jul. 4, 1972) ④ the period of training spies in security consideration (Feb. 1, 1968 to Dec. 31, 1994).

With the plan laid out, ex-spies, who served in non-wartime before the July 4 Joint Statement, will be compensated with 45.52 million won.

The military decided to pay additional incentive worth 10 million won to those who actually carried out espionage missions and allow his close relatives to be compensated if the beneficiary died. The military, however, reconfirmed that ex-spies would not be designated as the "people of distinguished service to the state" since it is unfair from the perspective of other special forces.

A military official said that the final compensation plan has been devised after fully considering advise from legal and academic experts, the wage level at the time they served and other compensation cases. He added that the military will receive applications by mail, then make compensation starting from next month.

The association of former spies, however, said that it cannot accept the government plan until the government increases the amount of compensation, make an official apology and recognizes their existence. The association has waged a single-person demonstration in front of the military authorities.

Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com