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Wounded young veterans share stories of hardship and new beginnings

Published: 10 Aug. 2025, 20:03 Updated: 10 Aug. 2025, 20:06

Pyo Jeong-ho shares his story at the “Wounded Young Veterans — New beginnings" (translated) talk concert at Yeongdeungpo Art Hall in western Seoul on Aug. 9. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

They lost the ability to walk, endured chronic pain and faced the prospect of never returning to their old lives — yet they stood on stage in Seoul to talk about how they kept going.

Four young veterans who suffered serious injuries during military service shared their stories of recovery and determination at a lecture series on Saturday.

The event, titled “Wounded Young Veterans — New beginnings”(translated), organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Welfare Foundation, took place at Yeongdeungpo Art Hall in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, seeing around 70 attendees, including family members of the veterans and military and veteran affairs officials and experts.

One of the speakers, Pyo Jeong-ho suffered a devastating accident in October 2022 while serving in a front line unit when an M14 antipersonnel mine exploded. The blast tore away most of his right heel, nearly leading to amputation.

Surgeons spent 17 hours rebuilding his heel and calf using thigh muscle tissue. From the moment of the accident, Pyo said he was determined to “stand on both feet.” That mindset helped him endure nearly two years of rehabilitation.

Instead of dwelling on his injury, Pyo doubled his training load. One year later, he could walk at 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) per hour. By July last year, he was able to return home. He is now a senior studying police administration studies at a university.

Then-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, right, shakes hands with Staff Sergeant Pyo Jeong-ho at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Oct. 3, 2023. [YONHAP]

“I believe I was able to recover thanks to the devotion of my family, medical staff and friends,” he said. “You must not lose hope even if there is only a one percent chance. It matters to think positively and never give up.”

Another speaker, Jeon Sung-bo, was injured in 2018 when a military bus with faulty brakes plunged off a cliff in Yanggu, Gangwon. The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Jeon chose not to give in to despair and turned to para sports, selecting rowing, a discipline that relies heavily on upper-body strength. After rigorous training, he qualified for the Para-Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in 2023.

It was his first international competition, and the challenge proved steep. In the final, all other rowers crossed the finish line before him, but Jeon kept going until the end. His persistence earned a standing ovation.

"I wanted to show the spirit of challenge that transforms unbreakable despair into hope by persevering until the end,” he said on Saturday.

The program also featured Park Kwang-ho, a former special forces member who retired after being injured during parachute training, and Park Jae-sung, who developed complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) during service but continues to work at a different job despite chronic pain.

"I experienced what it was like to fall over and get back on my feet. Because of that, I was able to fall over a thousand times and stand before you today," Park Jae-sung said.

Yoon Jong-jang, the head of Seoul city's welfare division, said that the city will do "everything possible to help young people injured during military service rebuild their lives and make a smooth transition back to society."

"National security is the result of the dedication and sacrifice of countless patriotic heroes,” Yoon said.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM MIN-WOOK [[email protected]]