Court denies psychological damage from military mission
A reserve military officer, who had served in Iraq and was in charge of bringing back the body of a South Korean who was beheaded by terrorists in 2004, was rejected in his application to be considered a man of national merit, a status that confers state benefits.
Sources from the Seoul Administrative Court said Sunday that the man, whose identity was withheld, had filed a suit against the Nambu District Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to withdraw their refusal to recognize him as a man of merit. He claimed that he has been suffering from depression after guarding against terrorism during his overseas post. The court said the correlation was weak.
The former lieutenant colonel started his military career in 1983.
He served as the defense attache at the South Korean Embassy in Iraq from February 2004 for one year and five months. He was in charge of making location plans for the South Korean troops deployed there to help rehabilitation and analyze the movements of terrorist groups there. His role included sharing information with the embassy and the troops, preparing diplomatic measures for emergencies and working with the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.
In June, 2004, the former military man helped bring the body of Kim Sun-il, a South Korean civilian who was abducted and beheaded by the Islamist group after the South Korean government refused its demand to pull its troops out of the international forces there and cancel its plan to send more. The man claimed he had to carry out emotionally difficult roles such as repeatedly checking Kim’s body during the process.
Upon returning home, the man reportedly received psychological treatment in October 2010 due to amnesia and was diagnosed with depression. He was released from duty in October 2012 and applied to be registered as man of national merit, citing depression and posttraumatic stress in 2014. He claimed he developed these conditions by serving in Iraq and that his mission there was relevant to protecting the nation and the people’s lives.
The court, however, ruled against him, citing laws that grant the status only to those who have injured themselves or become ill while serving overseas on reconstruction, medical and restoration missions.
“While the role that (the man) had undertaken may apply to the conditions for men of merit, he has not been directly involved in an accident or suffered an injury to his head,” the ruling said. It also cited that he continued to serve his duty normally until 2007, during which he received four commendations. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)
Sources from the Seoul Administrative Court said Sunday that the man, whose identity was withheld, had filed a suit against the Nambu District Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to withdraw their refusal to recognize him as a man of merit. He claimed that he has been suffering from depression after guarding against terrorism during his overseas post. The court said the correlation was weak.
The former lieutenant colonel started his military career in 1983.
He served as the defense attache at the South Korean Embassy in Iraq from February 2004 for one year and five months. He was in charge of making location plans for the South Korean troops deployed there to help rehabilitation and analyze the movements of terrorist groups there. His role included sharing information with the embassy and the troops, preparing diplomatic measures for emergencies and working with the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.
In June, 2004, the former military man helped bring the body of Kim Sun-il, a South Korean civilian who was abducted and beheaded by the Islamist group after the South Korean government refused its demand to pull its troops out of the international forces there and cancel its plan to send more. The man claimed he had to carry out emotionally difficult roles such as repeatedly checking Kim’s body during the process.
Upon returning home, the man reportedly received psychological treatment in October 2010 due to amnesia and was diagnosed with depression. He was released from duty in October 2012 and applied to be registered as man of national merit, citing depression and posttraumatic stress in 2014. He claimed he developed these conditions by serving in Iraq and that his mission there was relevant to protecting the nation and the people’s lives.
The court, however, ruled against him, citing laws that grant the status only to those who have injured themselves or become ill while serving overseas on reconstruction, medical and restoration missions.
“While the role that (the man) had undertaken may apply to the conditions for men of merit, he has not been directly involved in an accident or suffered an injury to his head,” the ruling said. It also cited that he continued to serve his duty normally until 2007, during which he received four commendations. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)
(责任编辑:行业动态)
相关内容
- US to oppose North Korean worker dispatch to occupied Ukrainian territory: State Dept.
- Otto Warmbier's parents to get $240,300 seized from North Korea
- 绝壁悬崖变通途 彝寨山乡换容颜
- Samantha Bee is planning a DC event that Trump is going to hate
- 抖音超600万次传播量!广东省农事运动会乡村直播大赛火出圈
- 10 Big Misconceptions About Computer Hardware
- Korean tourist accidentally falls to death in Philippines
- Family vlog channel sells creepily lifelike dolls modeled after their newborn baby
- Leao, Milan's shooting star aiming for Chelsea
- Discover Secret Swimming Holes and Hidden History in Crystal River, Florida
- 4路“老爷车”,雅安第一绕?
- US condemns NK missile launch, reaffirms commitment to dialogue
- Apple will release macOS Mojave on September 24. Here’s what's coming.
推荐文章
-
Apple Watch bands: 5 favorites to consider as Apple Watch 10 looms
It's almost new Apple Watch season, which means it's potentially almost time for you to pick out whi ...[详细] -
Crypto market is crashing hard again, here's why
The cryptocurrency market is bleeding for the second consecutive day, with prices of most popular co ...[详细] -
U.S. Army chief to visit Korea amid THAAD tensions
The U.S. Army chief of staff plans to visit South Korea to receive updates on the plan to deploy the ...[详细] -
雅安日报讯 日前,省高级人民法院副院长刘达贵深入我市汉源县法院、名山县法院检查指导灾后恢复重建工作并看望慰问法院干警,肯定了相关工作,提出希望要求。实地察看了汉源县法院目前办公办案环境、审判法庭建设情 ...[详细]
-
We've been using the MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED exclusively as a productivity monitor for the last six m ...[详细]
-
N. Korea revises rules of military service exemption to address manpower shortages: report
North Korea has been revising the rules of exempting people from the compulsory military service in ...[详细] -
Kyrgios seeks assault dismissal: reports
SYDNEY:Tennis superstar Nick Kyrgios will seek to have an assault charge against him dismissed on me ...[详细] -
'Favorable environment set for end
Unification Minister Lee In-young speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in S ...[详细] -
PRE-ORDER NOW: The new Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) is now available for preorder at Am ...[详细]
-
North Korean leader visits mausoleum of grandfather, father to mark new year
In this photo released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Jan. 2, North Korean leader Kim ...[详细]
热点阅读
随机内容
- 17 Places That Harness the Power of the Sun
- Hazard still one of world's best, says Belgium coach
- 钱大妈“鲜启未来”12周年庆典即将启幕,一众精彩亮点抢先看
- This math equation is dividing the internet, and no one can agree on an answer
- 13 Places to Find Little Legends and Compact Cryptids
- U.S. Army chief to visit Korea amid THAAD tensions
- 全省机动车驾驶员培训学校清理整顿检查组称: