SEJONG: South Korea's newly appointed Veterans Minister, Kang Jung-ai, has pledged to enhance the state's responsibility towards veterans, acknowledging their sacrifices during her inauguration ceremony at the ministry's headquarters in Sejong, 113 kilometers south of Seoul. Kang, the daughter of a Korean War veteran, emphasized the importance of honoring the devotion of those who served. "I will strengthen the state's responsibilities for the devotion made by people of distinguished service and establish an economic safety net for veterans so that they can live an honorable life," she stated during the ceremony.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kang, who also has ties to the Heroic Corps through her grandfather-in-law, vowed to advocate for policies that represent the voices of veterans. She acknowledged the current compensation system for people of distinguished service, which includes soldiers and police officers killed or injured in action. The Yoon Suk Yeol government has been focusing on improving support for veterans, which led to the ministry's elevation to a full-fledged one earlier this year. Kang's previous experience as a business professor and the president of Sookmyung Women's University is expected to contribute to her new role.