Increase in veterans` benefits rise slowly under Lee administration

The increase in the veterans’ welfare budget has slowed under the incumbent administration despite the president’s pledge on Memorial Day last year to "take care of those who sacrificed themselves for the country" and raise compensation for people of national merit.

According to data released by the Patriots and Veterans Affairs Ministry and obtained by main opposition Democratic Party Rep. Park Byung-seok, who belongs to the National Assembly`s National Policy Committee, the budget for veterans’ welfare grew 7.4 percent this year and is expected to grow 5 percent next year.

The growth rates are a far cry from 16 percent in 2002, the last year of the Kim Dae-jung administration, and 13.7 percent in 2007, the final year of the Roh Moo-hyun administration.

Compensation for men of national merit accounts for about 80 percent of the budget for veterans’ welfare.

The increase in compensation for those who were severely injured while serving the country and cannot live on their own was 6.1 percent in 2009, 5 percent last year, and 4 percent this year. Corresponding figures under previous administrations were 8.2 percent in 2002, 7.6 percent in 2003, and 9.9 percent in 2005.

In particular, the monthly compensation per person (2.16 million won or 1,900 U.S. dollars) is less than the monthly spending of an average household of three (2.32 million won or 2,031 dollars).

The rise in compensation for those who lost their children, who take up the largest share among people of national merit, was 12.1 percent in 2002 but grew a meager 4 percent this year.

The ministry said, “The compensation over the previous administrations was too low. Therefore, the rate increase was necessary every year to reach to a certain level,” adding, “The Patriots and Veterans Affairs Ministry initially suggested a 5-percent increase per person next year considering consumer inflation of 4.5 percent, but the rise was set at 4 percent due to opposition from the Strategy and Finance Ministry.”

zeitung@donga.com