A total of 1,327 people died over the past five years while waiting for admission to veterans’ nursing homes, according to data presented by People Power Party lawmaker Seo Il-jun during a National Assembly audit. The figures showed that 210 people had died while waiting this year alone, while nationwide facilities had 1,628 places but more than 2,000 people on the waiting list as of August 2026.
About 84% of those waiting were aged 80 or older, highlighting the gap between the timing of care needs and available capacity. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said it would assess regional conditions and review acquiring private nursing facilities for conversion into veterans’ homes, but no expansion scale or implementation schedule has been confirmed.