Rep. Jeon Hyun-hee of the Democratic Party, a member of the National Assembly's Legislative Committee, argued on October 6 during a National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs that the dual system for recognizing Agent Orange-related diseases and their aftereffects needs a comprehensive review.
During the audit, Rep. Jeon stated that, according to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, discrimination occurs in the designation of veterans and compensation, even among those who are all victims of Agent Orange, due to the classification into aftereffects and sequelae.
"According to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, those recognized with Agent Orange aftereffects are registered as disabled veterans and receive support for compensation, medical care, education, employment, and loans, with their status passing to their spouses or surviving family members upon death," she explained. "In contrast, those classified with Agent Orange sequelae receive allowances and living support based on a separate disability rating."
She continued, "Despite being the same victims of Agent Orange, significant discrimination arises in terms of veteran designation and compensation based on how their conditions are classified. We need to examine whether any other country distinguishes between aftereffects and sequelae for Agent Orange victims like we do."
Rep. Jeon particularly noted that while the United States includes hypertension and MGUS (Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance) as presumed diseases related to Agent Orange exposure, South Korea classifies hypertension as a sequela and does not include MGUS in its list of recognized Agent Orange diseases.
"I am not suggesting we adopt the U.S. system outright. However, if there is sufficient scientific and epidemiological evidence for certain diseases, the government should consider easing the burden of proof for presumed recognition," she stated.
She also questioned the medical and epidemiological criteria, asking, "Why is laryngeal cancer recognized as an aftereffect while oropharyngeal and oral cancers are not? Why is ischemic heart disease recognized as an aftereffect while hypertension and cerebral hemorrhage are classified as sequelae? These criteria need to be clarified."
Furthermore, Rep. Jeon urged a complete review of the Agent Orange disease recognition system, stating, "The war may be over, but the chemical scars it left continue to weigh heavily on the lives of veterans for decades. The risks taken by veterans in response to the nation's call are not their personal responsibility but the state's. The government must reassess the disease recognition system accordingly."
In response, Minister of Veterans Affairs Kwon Oh-eul acknowledged that there have been numerous complaints in this area and stated, "We will actively review this matter."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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