1. Reasons for Amendment

The employment assistance program aims to support the stable livelihood and self-actualization of patients suffering from potential aftereffects of defoliants and other people eligible for employment assistance and has made numerous achievements over the past 60 years. However, despite changes in the employment environment, requirements for businesses and compulsory hiring quotas have remained unchanged and no longer reflect current realities.

Accordingly, this Amendment reforms the compulsory hiring system by adjusting hiring quotas and the scope of institutions offering employment assistance to account for changes in the job market, industry trends, and other environmental factors. It also modifies applicable provisions based on amendments to the Act on the Honorable Treatment of and Support for Persons of Distinguished Service to the State, which include policy measures that provide incentives to exemplary businesses, publicly announce poor compliance with hiring obligations, and otherwise increase compliance with compulsory hiring.

This Amendment also prescribes grounds for patients suffering from potential aftereffects of defoliants and second-generation patients suffering from actual aftereffects of defoliants, who are currently required to be treated by veterans hospitals, to be treated by national medical institutions (including veterans hospitals) or local government medical institutions.

In addition, in accordance with amendments to the Act on Honorable Treatment of War Veterans and Establishment of Related Associations, which prescribe loan assistance for war veterans, this Amendment allows any patient suffering from potential aftereffects of defoliants who receives a loan pursuant to the Act on Honorable Treatment of War Veterans and Establishment of Related Associations to conveniently repay the loan principal and interest using the potential defoliant aftereffects allowance as security.

2. Major Provisions

A. Add applicable provisions concerning employment assistance, etc. (Article 7-9 (3))

- Add applicable provisions concerning employment assistance in accordance with the amended Act on the Honorable Treatment of and Support for Persons of Distinguished Service to the State. 

- Delete the latter part as Article 37-2 (4) of the Act on the Honorable Treatment of and Support for Persons of Distinguished Service to the State has been nullified by Addenda Article 2 of Act No. 15028.

B. Newly insert grounds for national or local government medical institutions to treat patients suffering from potential aftereffects of defoliants and second-generation patients suffering from actual aftereffects of defoliants (Article 7)

C. Allow loans received under the Act on Honorable Treatment of War Veterans and Establishment of Related Associations to be secured by the potential defoliant aftereffects allowance (Article 7-4 (2))