No Compensation for National Project Victims?

Two aeronautics professors, Eun Hee-bong and Hwang Myung-shin from Hankuk Aviation University, died on Friday while test flying a lightweight plane dubbed the “Bora” that was developed in cooperation with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. The funeral service was scheduled for the morning of August 30, but the compensation and funeral process dialogue between the government and the bereaved families failed to reach an agreement, and the families postponed the funeral to August 31.

The representative of the bereaved families, Jeong Hong-soo (50 years old and the brother-in-law of Eun) said on Monday, “The government didn’t provide an honorable treatment and adequate compensation to the deceased, so we decided to hold a family funeral on Tuesday instead,” adding, “We feel deep regret for not giving them a honorable funeral at their last moment in this world.”

“We heard that the president ordered officials to treat the victims at the same level as individuals who sacrificed themselves and made an outstanding contribution to the nation, but except for the posthumous honors, there was no governmental support,” said Jeong. “With this ungracious attitude that wounds the bereaved a second time, who would take the initiative to join in a national project that would threaten one’s life? I am very negative.”

The bereaved initially scheduled a three-or-five-day funeral following the Confucian custom. However, Hankuk Aviation University officials announced to condolers that they would hold a four-day funeral on August 30 without consulting with the families of the deceased ahead of time.

Hankuk Aviation University plans to confer a private school pension amounting to 160 million won and 190 million won to Eun and Hwang respectively. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute, that led the development of plane they were testing, is reportedly compensating the bereaved families with insurance benefits; they insured themselves before the test flight, and each bereaved family will get a maximum of 300 million won each.

The sister of Hwang, Myeong-won (49 years old) said, “My brother paid the half of the private school pension, and he would receive the pension automatically after retirement. What the bereaved families need is minimal honorary treatment and realistic financial support so that we can continue the quality of life that we currently enjoy without the deceased. We don’t desire fancy, great honors, or substantial compensation.”

However, there is no legal precedent binding the government to support the families of people who are killed in the middle of contributing to a national project.

An official from the Science and Technology Ministry said, “It is very sorrowful, but there is no legal authority stating that we have to provide support to the bereaved families, who lost Eun and Hwang at the national level.”

An employee from Hankuk Aviation University also said, “Apparently, the school has been involved in the project, but technically, the two professors participated in the project on an individual level. That makes it difficult for the school to provide families with any compensative support in the name of the university.”

Meanwhile, in the room where the coffins are placed at the National Cancer Center in Goyang, Gyeonggi province, there have not been many condolers as of August 30; only the bereaved families and the students of the two professors. Some of the condolers, who visited the center intending to join the funeral, turned away with bitter faces after receiving information that the funeral service was delayed due to inadequate government compensation and different ideas on the funeral process.

Dong-Young Lee argus@donga.com