In the administrative briefing on October 1st, I briefly shared the news that the proposed amendment to the disability rating standards for persons of national merit has been announced for legislative notice. At that time, I could not confirm which specific ratings would change and how, so I left it as “original text verification required.” Now, I have personally reviewed the original text of the proposed amendments to the Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rule (Comparison Table of New and Old Provisions) uploaded to the National Participation Legislative Center. As this amendment does not consist solely of “relaxations” as reported in the news, those preparing for a physical examination should review the details carefully.
1. Expansion of the scope for Grade 7 recognition regarding finger loss and thumb joint disability
The “Disability of Arms and Fingers” Grade 7 items in Annex 4 of the Enforcement Rule (Determination of Disability Grades by Body Part) are changing as follows.
| Classification Number | Current | Amendment |
|---|---|---|
| 7311 2) | A person who has lost the index finger at or above the distal interphalangeal joint (the joint near the fingertip) | A person who has lost one of the index, middle, or ring fingers at or above the distal interphalangeal joint |
| 7311 3) | A person who has lost other fingers at or above the proximal interphalangeal joint (the joint near the palm) | A person who has lost the pinky finger at or above the proximal interphalangeal joint |
| 7311 4) | (None) | A person who has lost more than one-half of the tip of the thumb (Newly established) |
| 7312 2) | (None) | A person whose thumb on one hand has a range of motion restricted by one-half or more at one joint, or is stiff (Newly established) |
- Key Point: Currently, for the middle and ring fingers, losing them at or above the proximal interphalangeal joint (the middle joint) was required for Grade 7, but under the amendment, losing them at or above the distal interphalangeal joint (the fingertip joint) will be considered Grade 7. For the thumb, which previously required restriction of two or more joints, it will now qualify for Grade 7 even if only one joint is restricted by more than half.
- Items being reorganized: Item 7315 of Grade 7 in Annex 3 of the Enforcement Decree (A person who has lost two or more fingers, excluding the thumb and index finger, at or above the distal interphalangeal joint) will be deleted. This appears to be an effort to remove overlapping items, as losing just one of the middle or ring fingers will now fall under 7311.
- Issuing Authority for National Veterans Disability Certificates: The National Fire Hospital is added to the list of hospitals that can issue disability certificates subject to written review (Article 13, Paragraph 2, Item 1 of the Enforcement Decree).
2. Grade 6, Item 2 of Arm/Leg Joint Disability changes from ‘One Arm’ to ‘Two Arms’
This is the most important part to watch carefully in this amendment.
- Grade 6, Section 2, 7121 (Arm): Current “A person whose range of motion in 2 out of 3 major joints of one arm is restricted by 1/4 or more each” → Amendment “Two arms’ 2 out of 3 major joints…”
- Grade 6, Section 2, 8119 (Leg): Current “A person with functional impairment (range of motion restricted by 1/4 or more, ligamentous instability of 10mm or more, degenerative changes KL grade III or higher) in 2 out of 3 major joints of one leg” → Amendment “Two legs’…”
Looking only at the wording, it will become difficult to qualify for Grade 6, Section 2 in cases where the disability is only in one arm or one leg. It is not confirmed through this amendment’s public notice alone which grade will be assigned in such cases (⚠️ Original text verification required). The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs stated that the reason for the amendment is “relaxation and adjustment in consideration of equity with disability grades for other body parts.”
Measurement methods will also become stricter. When evaluating the range of motion of arm/leg joints, simple imaging tests and physical examinations shall be the basis. If there is a large difference between active and passive range of motion, or if the measurement results do not match the injury site, it must be verified through soft tissue imaging tests such as CT or MRI. If the discrepancy is not resolved even after re-measurement or additional testing, that range of motion restriction will not be used as a basis for grade determination.
3. Criteria for Thorax, Abdomen, and Spine have also been revised
- Non-small cell lung cancer Stage 3A: It will be removed from Grade 6, Section 3 (5110) and moved up to Grade 6, Section 2 (5108). Stages 1 and 2 remain as Grade 6, Section 3.
- Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS): It will be removed from the Grade 6, Section 3 curative treatment item, and a new item will be created to recognize people under observation after diagnosis as Grade 7 (5111).
- Herniated Intervertebral Disc ‘Obvious Nerve Compression’: Defined as a case where one of the following is confirmed via MRI/CT: extrusion, sequestration, loss of cerebrospinal fluid signal around the cauda equina, or nerve root deformation due to foraminal stenosis, and the segment matches clinical symptoms and neurological examination.
- Ankylosing Spondylitis: A mutatis mutandis provision will be newly established to recognize Grade 7 (6109) if advanced sacroiliitis (Grade IV) is confirmed in imaging tests.
When and to whom does this apply?
- Stage: Legislative Notice (Enforcement Decree of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs No. 2026-251, Enforcement Rule No. 2026-252), Submission of Opinions 2026. 9. 30. ~ 11. 9.
- Effective Date: Both amendments shall take effect from the date of promulgation. The exact date of promulgation has not yet been determined.
- Applicable Subjects: The revised Annexes shall apply to those undergoing physical examination (Article 6-3 of the Act on the Registration, etc. of Persons, etc. of Special Merit for National Patriots) after the enforcement. They do not apply retroactively to those who have already received a determination.
- Submission of Opinions: Online via the National Participation Legislation Center or via mail, email, or fax to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Standards and Criteria Division.
What to Keep in Mind if You Are Facing a Physical Examination
- Those who received a grade below the required level due to finger loss: If you have loss of the distal phalanges of the third or fourth fingers, loss of half of the distal phalanx of the thumb, or movement restriction of one thumb joint, it is worth considering applying for a re-examination after the amendment is enforced. Since a re-examination can only be applied for if two years have passed since the date of the previous determination or if there are reasons such as recurrence or aggravation, please check your previous determination date first.
- Those expecting Grade 6, Item 2 due to disabilities in two joints of one arm/leg: If the amendment is finalized as is, it may be difficult to qualify for Grade 6, Item 2 even in the same condition. If you have a scheduled new or re-examination, keep in mind that the application criteria may vary depending on whether it occurs before or after the enforcement.
- Common for Joint Disabilities: The structure will be such that recognition is granted only when the range of motion measurements match the imaging findings. It is advisable to organize your medical records to see if there are MRI or CT findings in addition to X-rays, and whether the measured angles are recorded.
Services Provided by the Administrative Agent Office
Hwang Yunsang Administrative Agent Office handles the organization of application forms for registration as a National Patriot or Person Eligible for Veterans’ Compensation and related incident reports, document preparation/filing services for re-examination and re-examination applications, and the preparation of objection forms and administrative appeal requests regarding disability grade determinations. The registration process is summarized in Registration Procedure and Required Documents for National Patriots and Persons Eligible for Veterans’ Compensation.
Summary
- Loss of the distal phalanges of the third or fourth fingers, loss of half of the distal phalanx of the thumb, and movement restriction of one thumb joint will be newly added to Grade 7.
- Grade 6, Item 2 for disabilities in two out of the three major joints of the arms/legs will change from “one arm (leg)” to “two arms (legs),” and if the range of motion does not match the imaging findings, it will not be used as a basis for determination.
- It takes effect from the date of promulgation and applies to those undergoing physical examination after enforcement. Opinions can be submitted until November 9.
Source: National Participation Legislation Center · Partial Amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Registration, etc. of Persons, etc. of Special Merit for National Patriots (Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Standards and Criteria Division), National Participation Legislation Center · Partial Amendment to the Enforcement Rule of the Act on the Registration, etc. of Persons, etc. of Special Merit for National Patriots
This post is an administrative trend guide organized by Hwang Yunsang Administrative Agent Office based on publicly available data. Whether the amendment applies to individual cases requires verification with the competent authorities.