Jeju 280,000 won, North Jeolla 40,000 won.
These are the "honorary allowance for war veterans" that each metropolitan government pays monthly per veteran. Even for the same veteran, the monthly metropolitan allowance alone differs by 240,000 won depending on where the person lives. Including basic local government allowances, the actual monthly gap in veterans' allowances has widened to as much as 530,000 won as of the 25th. Critics say they fought for the country just the same, but the treatment changes by address.
War veterans can receive allowances from three places: the central government, metropolitan governments, and basic local governments. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs pays 490,000 won per month to registered war veterans aged 65 or older. This amount is the same nationwide.
The problem is the local government allowances added on top of this. Because metropolitan and basic governments pay from their own finances, regional disparities are large.
Among metropolitan governments, Jeju pays 280,000 won per month, the most among the 17 cities and provinces nationwide. North Jeolla, by contrast, pays the least at 40,000 won per month. Gangwon pays 60,000 won, and South Jeolla pays 70,000 won. The difference between Jeju and North Jeolla is 240,000 won per month.
An official at the North Jeolla chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association said, "We keep raising the issue of regional differences in allowances even though the sacrifice for the country was the same," and noted, "The province expresses reluctance, citing its fiscal self-reliance ratio." The North Jeolla provincial allowance was recently raised from 20,000 won to 40,000 won per month.
Even within the same metropolitan government, differences arise again by basic local government. In Seoul, the city pays 200,000 won per month, but district allowances vary. Gangnam District pays 150,000 won per month to veterans aged 90 or older, while Eunpyeong District's veterans' allowance is 30,000 won per month. Even within Seoul, there is a gap of more than 100,000 won per month depending on the district of residence.
The most extreme case is Hwacheon County in Gangwon and Yeongdo District in Busan. Hwacheon County pays 600,000 won per month in veterans' allowances alone. A veteran living in Hwacheon County can receive a total of 1,150,000 won per month, combining 490,000 won from the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, 60,000 won from Gangwon Province, and 600,000 won from Hwacheon County.
By contrast, Yeongdo District in Busan pays the basic local veterans' allowance not monthly but four times a year, 30,000 won per payment. The monthly local government allowance is effectively limited to the Busan city payment of 130,000 won. Adding the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs allowance brings the total to 620,000 won per month, a 530,000 won difference compared with Hwacheon County.
The number of war veterans is decreasing each year as the population ages. As of the end of May this year, there are 24,230 Korean War veterans, of whom 22,260 are 90 or older, or about 9 in 10. That is why the debate over allowance gaps is seen not just as a matter of regional welfare but as an issue of "final honors."
Local governments agree on the need to honor veterans but are cautious about raising allowances, citing fiscal conditions. A local government official said, "It is only right to honor war veterans, but we cannot raise payments just because other regions do." The debate over fairness is likely to continue, given the reality that the merit of fighting for the country is the same but the treatment differs by address.