The government will introduce soldier injury insurance to cover illnesses and injuries incurred during military service. Additionally, a public health insurance plan will be available for discharged soldiers, providing medical expense coverage for 18 months without requiring proof of a causal link to military service.
On September 3, the government announced these measures during the 13th National Policy Coordination Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Han Seung-soo.
Starting in July 2027, the Ministry of National Defense plans to implement group injury insurance for all active-duty soldiers and reservists. Currently, some local governments offer their own military service injury insurance, but disparities in coverage and benefits based on residency have raised equity concerns.
The government aims to design a nationwide public insurance plan in collaboration with the Korea Post, covering not only fractures, burns, and traumatic amputations but also mental health issues. According to the proposed plan, a maximum of 50 million won will be paid for death or permanent disability due to injury or illness. For injuries or deaths resulting from traffic accidents while off-duty, coverage will reach up to 200 million won, with severe disabilities covered up to 10 million won. Diagnosis payments for cerebral hemorrhage and acute myocardial infarction will be set at 3 million won, while compensation for mental health issues and traumatic amputations will be 1 million won each. Daily hospitalization costs will be 40,000 won, and surgical fees will be 200,000 won.
A public health insurance plan to support treatment costs after discharge will also be introduced in July 2027. This plan will apply to discharged active-duty soldiers and reservists, automatically enrolling them upon discharge for 18 months of coverage. Notably, soldiers will not need to prove that their illness or injury occurred during service to access the insurance. This aims to reduce gaps in support for conditions like hearing loss or joint disorders that may worsen after discharge but originated during training.
However, the insurance will not cover all medical expenses. The out-of-pocket rate for health insurance benefits will be 20% for covered items, 30% for severe non-covered items, and 50% for non-severe non-covered items. The coverage limit will be 50 million won for covered and severe non-covered items, and 10 million won for non-severe non-covered items. Cosmetic and plastic surgery will be excluded from coverage.
Support for veterans who exceed the age limit for youth policies due to military service will also be expanded. The government has identified 34 programs that require adjustments to their age limits in this year's youth policy implementation plan.
These programs include the Youth Growth Project, youth housing support, youth rental loan guarantees, public housing, support for young farmers, and smart farm startup incubation centers. Each ministry will consider military service duration when determining age limits for youth policy support.
The government plans to amend the Veterans Support Act to provide a legal basis for reflecting the military service periods of active-duty soldiers, reservists, social service personnel, and officers in the age criteria for youth policies.
Prime Minister Han stated, "We will provide robust support for young people who have served in the military, honoring the time they dedicated to the nation both during and after their service."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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