▲ The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (Yonhap)

govt reorganization-approval

Cabinet endorses upgrading veterans ministry, overseas Koreans agency

SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Yonhap) -- The Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed a parliament-approved bill upgrading the state agency on veterans affairs to a ministry-level body and establishing a new government agency handling policies on overseas Koreans.

The bill promulgating a revised Government Organization Act was approved a day after the revision passed through the National Assembly, interior ministry officials said.

Under the revision, which will go into effect around June, a new Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will be established that month, upgrading from the current sub-ministry level to full-fledged ministry status in recognition of the sacrifices of those who died fighting for the country.

The revision also calls for the creation of a sub-ministry-level agency under the oversight of the foreign minister to be in charge of supporting some 7.5 million Koreans residing overseas and policies for them.

The interior ministry plans to map out the government reorganization and other necessary steps to help launch the new bodies smoothly and speedily, ministry officials said.

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