One in five national merit recipients lives in poverty.

It has been revealed that the living conditions of those who dedicated themselves to the country are serious.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs to the office of National Power Party lawmaker Yoon Han-hong on the 25th, a significant number of all veteran merit recipients belong to low-income groups.

As of April 2025, among a total of 196,881 veteran merit recipients, 16,984, or 8.6%, are classified as low-income, earning below 50% of the median income. More concerning is that 12,650 of these individuals (6.4%) are classified as recipients of basic living assistance.

This indicates that one in twenty national merit recipients is experiencing severe economic difficulties, while the remaining 4,334 individuals (2.2%) fall into the near-poor category.

The need to strengthen support for national merit recipients has come to the forefront.

This situation leads to criticism that the government’s compensation and support for national merit recipients have not been sufficiently provided.

The fact that those who sacrificed for the country are suffering from poverty in their later years raises questions about the effectiveness of national veterans' policies.

President Lee Jae-myung has recognized these issues and has emphasized the need to enhance support for national merit recipients.

In his Memorial Day speech on June 6, President Lee stated, "Special sacrifices for all should be met with special compensation," promising the establishment of a medical system for national merit recipients and the realization of career compensation.

Improving support policies for national merit recipients has emerged as an important task that reflects social values respecting devotion and sacrifice to the country, going beyond simple welfare.

It appears urgent to formulate measures to alleviate the economic difficulties faced by national merit recipients through substantial improvements in veterans' policies.

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