A funeral procession carries the mortuary tablet and portrait of late firefighter Roh Myung-rae during his funeral in the southeastern city of Ulsan on July 2, 2021. The 28-year-old Roh sustained a life-threatening burn at the scene of a fire at a commercial building in the city on June 29 before being pronounced dead at a hospital the next day. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said it has launched a public-private joint program to support the adolescent children of soldiers and police officers who died on duty.
The ministry on Wednesday held a signing ceremony for the Heroes Family Program with the Woomi Hope Foundation and Child Fund Korea.
The program is designed to provide not only financial support but also emotional support to the adolescent children of the soldiers and police officers who died on duty.
The Woomi Hope Foundation will donate about 600 million won (US$461,360) per year, including 200 million won in scholarships, starting from next year.
As part of the program, messages of congratulations and thanks will be sent on various memorial days, including birthdays and anniversaries of deaths, and mental health and psychology consultations will be offered to help the children feel the value of the sacrifice and contributions their parents made and receive consolation.
Famous celebrities and professionals from every class of society will take part in the program to play the role of sponsors offering guidance.
According to the ministry, the number of adolescent children under 19 years of age in households of fallen soldiers and police officers currently stands at 189 (128 households).
Most of them are living with their mothers who became widows and single parents.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
