The President's Invitation - An Insight into President Lee Jae-myung's Veterans Philosophy and Policies as Seen through the National Merit Award Ceremony

Presidential Invitation Ceremony

On June 27, 2025, a special event was held at the Blue House's guesthouse. President Lee Jae-myung personally invited over 160 national merit award recipients and their families to a luncheon titled "The President's Invitation." At this event, he expressed, "Veteran affairs are the beginning of national integration, and I will repay them with the highest respect." This was a moment that clearly recognized veterans' affairs as a fundamental responsibility of the state, going beyond mere gratitude or formality. In Korean society, veterans' affairs have long been respected, but it is also true that they have sometimes been reduced to mere administrative formalities. Some veterans and bereaved families have felt marginalized due to a lack of substantial support, institutional blind spots, and social indifference. Facing this reality, President Lee Jae-myung aims to redefine veterans' affairs not just as compensation for the past but as a value of integration towards the future. Through this, he is attempting to restore the spirit of community and initiate a paradigm shift in veterans' affairs that resonates with all citizens.

Lee Jae-myung's Philosophy on Veterans Affairs

President Lee Jae-myung's fundamental philosophy regarding veterans' affairs is encapsulated in the phrase "veterans' affairs is the beginning of national integration." This is not just a simple political rhetoric but a philosophy of national governance and a declaration of social value. He emphasizes that veterans' affairs is the responsibility of the entire community of South Korea in recognizing and remembering sacrifices and dedication, rather than being tied to specific ideologies or factions. The core of this philosophy consists of two main points. First, veterans' affairs is an act of officially recognizing a "social debt" that the state owes to individuals. President Lee believes that the state should view the sacrifices and dedication of veterans not merely with respect but as a "responsibility" that the entire society must collectively bear. Second, veterans' affairs serves as an education for the present and future, as well as a means of passing on values. The process of remembering and honoring the past must go beyond mere ritual it must become a medium to convey the significance of the community and the nation to the next generation. Based on this philosophy, he emphasizes that veterans' affairs should not be confined to the realms of compensation and support but should operate as a "foundation of social solidarity" that the people can collectively empathize with and practice. This is an attempt to elevate veterans' affairs as a public value that all citizens can respect, moving it away from political disputes.

Specific policy steps and statements

President Lee Jae-myung's philosophy on veterans' affairs goes beyond mere declarations and is concretely realized in actual policies and actions. In his Memorial Day speech on June 6, 2025, he stated, "We will elevate the recognition of national merit holders and provide more robust support." Along with this, the policy directions he emphasized are as follows. First, addressing the blind spots in veterans' affairs. Some national merit holders are not receiving adequate recognition due to the complexity of administrative procedures, rigidity of standards, and lack of medical support. President Lee Jae-myung is proposing policies such as administrative simplification, strengthening information connectivity, and expanding living support to address these issues. Second, establishing a social compensation system for military service records. He views military service not merely as an obligation but as a substantial contribution to the nation. Accordingly, he is conceptualizing a system of actual compensation, including social conversion of military service duration, employment preferential points, and expansion of pension benefits. Third, building an integrated support system for medical care, housing, and welfare. To tackle the complex problems arising from the aging of veterans, a comprehensive approach is being pursued, including the expansion of veterans hospitals, deployment of dedicated medical personnel, housing improvement support, and linking family caregiving. This is an attempt to realize veterans' affairs as a lifelong support system that goes beyond fragmented benefits. These policies embody a direction aimed at transforming veterans' affairs from one-time support to a systematic and sustainable national responsibility. President Lee Jae-myung consistently emphasizes these principles in all his speeches and actions, urging the public to practice the value of veterans' affairs together.

Efforts to Strengthen Institutional and Administrative Foundations

To practically support President Lee Jae-myung's philosophy on veterans' affairs, it is essential to complement the institutional foundation and administrative system. He has proposed several structural reforms for this purpose. First, the establishment of a dedicated secretary for veterans' affairs within the presidency is being considered. This arises from the recognition that policies related to veterans should not be limited to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs but should be integrated and pursued across the entire national administration. Additionally, there is a proposal to elevate the status of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs to that of a vice-ministerial level. Currently, the budget for the Ministry of Veterans Affairs accounts for about 0.9% of the total national budget, which is significantly lower compared to major advanced countries. President Lee Jae-myung believes that it needs to be expanded to 3%, the level of advanced nations, and has plans to enhance the effectiveness of veterans' policies through budget increases and organizational expansion. Alongside this, the early establishment of the National Veterans Policy Development Institute is also underway. This is expected to strengthen the long-term direction of veterans' policies and professional research capabilities so that veterans' policies can proactively respond to changes in the times. Such institutional complements can be interpreted as a strategic approach aimed at solidifying veterans' affairs as a sustainable national system, beyond mere administrative reorganization.

The Future Orientation of Veterans Affairs

President Lee Jae-myung's philosophy of veterans' affairs is not confined to the past but is open to the future. He emphasizes that honoring veterans is not merely a form of recognition for those who have served but a value that our entire society must remember and inherit. This essentially defines the role of veterans' affairs as an educational and integrative mechanism for future generations. He aims to create an environment where the significance of veterans' affairs can be encountered naturally in daily life through commemorative projects, historical education, and cultural content. The goal is for the younger generation to perceive veterans' affairs not just as past events but as present values connected to communal responsibilities. Additionally, restoring social solidarity through veterans' affairs is also an important objective. He believes that by sharing and participating in the values of veterans' affairs, not only veterans but also their families, local communities, and ordinary citizens can reduce division and conflict in our society and connect as a single community. Ultimately, what President Lee Jae-myung seeks in veterans' affairs is not just recognition of the past but the establishment of a foundation for solidarity towards the future. This can be considered a national vision aimed at reconstructing the value system across society, rather than merely a policy-level initiative.

Conclusion

President Lee Jae-myung's philosophy on veterans' affairs goes beyond mere recognition of those who have served, aiming for macro goals of restoring national identity and achieving national integration. He clearly expresses his intention to revive the spirit of community through veterans' affairs and to share universal values with the public, transcending political opposition. His attempts to expand veterans' affairs into contemporary values that resonate with all citizens, rather than confining it to the past, provide significant insights into the direction our society should take. A society that does not forget sacrifices, a society that connects through memory, and a society in which the state fulfills its responsibilities make veterans' affairs a still relevant and important issue. President Lee Jae-myung's veterans' policy is in its initial stages. However, the philosophy and direction he has presented are clear, and how concretely they can be implemented and gain public trust will depend on the future momentum of policy enforcement. What is clear is that his philosophy on veterans' affairs is undoubtedly an honest and practical path towards making South Korea a better community.