Finding the Owners of Korean War Medals — A Guide for Overseas Korean Descendants

‘Searching for the medals’ rightful owners together with the nation’ — the Ministry of National Defense, the Army and the Korea Veterans Health Service are searching for the owners of Korean War Order of Military Merit medals. Overseas Korean descendants living abroad may also apply.

By the Editorial Desk

During the Korean War, many veterans were designated to receive the Order of Military Merit for their service but never received the medal amid the urgency of the battlefield. The Ministry of National Defense runs a ‘Korean War Order of Military Merit Recovery Task Force’ that continues to find the owners and descendants of undelivered medals and present the honors.

Veterans who emigrated overseas after the war, and their descendants, are also included. The task force has prepared a separate application process and a public list for overseas Koreans; any descendant who finds an ancestor’s name on the list or wants to verify an award may apply for confirmation.

Purpose and Eligibility

The program awards medals to those designated to receive the Order of Military Merit during the Korean War, but who never actually received it, and to their bereaved families — honoring their service and raising their standing. Recipients are the designated honorees themselves or their bereaved families.

How to Apply

Apply by emailing or phoning the ‘Korean War Order of Military Merit Recovery Task Force.’ The procedure differs depending on whether you know the honoree’s service number.

① If you know the service number — Complete the attached application form (for overseas Koreans) and send it to the task force email (rok7391@army.mil.kr), or call the task force (+82-1661-7625). The form asks for the honoree’s name, date of birth, service number (required) and place of registry at the time, plus the applicant’s (or agent’s) name, relationship, current country and address, contact and email.

② If you do not know the service number — You must first confirm it. A military service certificate (to confirm the service number) can be requested through the Korean consulate with jurisdiction in your country, and a service-number search can be requested online through Korea’s ‘e-People (Gukmin Sinmungo)’ civil-petition service.

You can download the application form, the public list and the overseas veterans’ benefits guide below.

Benefits of National Merit Registration

Once an award is confirmed, the honoree (or family) can register as a national merit recipient and, depending on whether Korean nationality is retained, receive various veterans’ benefits. Per the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (as of July 30, 2026), the compensation allowance is paid on a sliding scale from about 710,000 to 4,050,000 won per month by disability grade (1–7), with a 490,000-won war-participation honor allowance and a merit-honor allowance (Taegeuk 570,000 / Eulji 552,000 / Chungmu 534,000 / Hwarang 517,000 won). There is also a livelihood support allowance (150,000 won/month) and interment at a national cemetery.

However, the compensation allowance, honor allowance and merit-honor allowance cannot be combined — one must be chosen — and for those who have lost Korean nationality, some allowances require separate review. For accurate details, check with the consulate or the task force.

※ This article was compiled from the Ministry of National Defense campaign materials. The public list is based on wartime records and some details may differ from fact; please contact the task force or your consulate for specifics.