Seoul: A South Korean government offer of $4 to the relative of a soldier killed in the Korean War has been condemned as "incomprehensible" by a rights commission, which ordered Seoul to think again.
In 2008 a 63-year-old woman surnamed Kim discovered she had a brother who died at age 18 during the 1950-53 war, when she was a toddler.
Kim, most of whose family members were killed by bombing, sought compensation for her brother from the veterans affairs ministry.
It refused, citing a rule that requires families to request compensation within five years of death.
The ministry later accepted the request after Kim sued, but offered only 5,000 won ($4.35) -- the amount provided to military families in the wake of the war nearly six decades ago.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, which handles public complaints against administrative decisions, called it "incomprehensible" to now offer such a sum for a soldier who gave his life for his country.
It said in a statement that the veterans ministry failed to take into account inflation for the past six decades.
Bae Moon-Kyoo, a commission official in charge of the matter, told AFP Monday that the 5,000 won payout should be equivalent to 760,000 won ($662) now.
Following the ruling on Sunday, the veterans ministry must set "proper standards" for compensation, he said.
The commission has the power to cancel administrative decisions made by government bodies, so that the veterans ministry must come up with a new offer for Kim.
About 138,000 South Korean troops were killed during the war, along with some 40,000 of the South's UN allies, including more than 36,000 Americans.
In 2008 a 63-year-old woman surnamed Kim discovered she had a brother who died at age 18 during the 1950-53 war, when she was a toddler.
Kim, most of whose family members were killed by bombing, sought compensation for her brother from the veterans affairs ministry.
It refused, citing a rule that requires families to request compensation within five years of death.
The ministry later accepted the request after Kim sued, but offered only 5,000 won ($4.35) -- the amount provided to military families in the wake of the war nearly six decades ago.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, which handles public complaints against administrative decisions, called it "incomprehensible" to now offer such a sum for a soldier who gave his life for his country.
It said in a statement that the veterans ministry failed to take into account inflation for the past six decades.
Bae Moon-Kyoo, a commission official in charge of the matter, told AFP Monday that the 5,000 won payout should be equivalent to 760,000 won ($662) now.
Following the ruling on Sunday, the veterans ministry must set "proper standards" for compensation, he said.
The commission has the power to cancel administrative decisions made by government bodies, so that the veterans ministry must come up with a new offer for Kim.
About 138,000 South Korean troops were killed during the war, along with some 40,000 of the South's UN allies, including more than 36,000 Americans.
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