Court denies veteran status to conscript injured in military bus accident
Published: 06 Jan. 2026, 15:38
Updated: 06 Jan. 2026, 16:32
![Army conscripts march at the Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong, on May 29, 2025. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/01/06/f537b748-2713-4494-b20e-2b8b6de9aedc.jpg)
Army conscripts march at the Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong, on May 29, 2025. [YONHAP]
A conscript who was injured in a military bus accident while returning from Covid-19 quarantine has been denied state recognition as a veteran, the court said on Tuesday.
The Gwangju District Court dismissed the conscript's lawsuit against the Gwangju Regional Veterans Administration after he challenged its decision to deny him veteran status for a service-related injury.
The soldier, who enlisted in the Army in June 2023, tested positive for Covid-19 while undergoing basic training. After completing quarantine, he was traveling back to his training unit on a military bus when it overturned, leaving him with broken bones and severe wounds.
He applied for registration as a person of national merit and a recipient of veterans' compensation, but the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs denied his application after its internal administrative review. He subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the decision.
The ministry argued that his injuries did not occur during “any direct mission or training duty performed to defend the country, secure national safety or protect citizens’ lives and property.”
The conscript countered that the accident took place while he was being transported for military training and therefore should qualify as a service-related injury. The court disagreed.
“The military’s guidance at the time for recovered Covid-19 patients was to assess their health status before deciding on their participation in training,” the court said.
The court concluded that returning to base after quarantine must be distinguished from movements related to active training.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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