I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1383 

To direct certain actions of the United States Government with respect 

to recognizing the service and sacrifice of veterans of the Korean Constabulary, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 7, 2017 

Mr. BACON (for himself, Mr. DUNN, Mr. MARSHALL, and Mr. TAYLOR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, and 

Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To direct certain actions of the United States Government 

with respect to recognizing the service and sacrifice of 

veterans of the Korean Constabulary, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Recognizing Officers 

5 and Enlisted Men of the Korean Constabulary Act of 

6 2017’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) From November 1945 to January 1949, the 

4 Korean Constabulary undertook internal security 

5 tasks on behalf of the United States Military Gov6 ernment in Korea and the people of South Korea. 

7 (2) The Korean Constabulary was initially in8 tended to supplement United States military oper9 ations during the unification and independence of 

10 South Korea. 

11 (3) Within two years of its organization, the 

12 Korean Constabulary consisted of 25,000 officers 

13 and enlisted men. 

14 (4) Civil conflict in Korea compelled officers 

15 and enlisted men of the Korean Constabulary to de16 fend their fledgling country against internal unrest. 

17 (5) The Korean Constabulary was under the ju18 risdiction of the Department of National Defense, 

19 which later became known as the Department of In20 ternal Security of the United States Military Gov21 ernment in Korea. 

22 (6) The Korean Constabulary was the core 

23 force upon which the Korean Army was established 

24 on August 5, 1948. 

25 (7) The Korean Government excluded officers 

26 and enlisted men of the Korean Constabulary from 


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1 benefits when it enacted the Republic of Korea’s 

2 Military Pension Act, specifically Article 16–9, which 

3 states that the calculation of service period shall not 

4 include years prior to 1948, the establishment year 

5 of the Government of the Republic of Korea. 

6 (8) Veterans of the Korean Constabulary be7 lieve they have been treated unfairly because they 

8 have not been granted pension or aid for healthcare 

9 and have been denied Korean military awards and 

10 distinguished honors, such as promotion, because 

11 their years of service before January 1949 are unac12 counted for. 

13 (9) The Government of the Republic of Korea 

14 owes veterans of the Korean Constabulary due com15 pensation for their service to the Government of the 

16 Republic of Korea. 

17 (10) Veterans of the Korean Constabulary 

18 would like to be honored by the Republic of Korea 

19 for their service to the Korean Constabulary. 

20 SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY. 

21 Congress commends the veterans of the Korean Con22 stabulary for their bravery and honorable service and 

23 thanks them for their support during the difficult times 

24 leading to the establishment of the Republic of Korea. 


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1 SEC. 4. ACTIONS WITH RESPECT TO GOVERNMENT OF THE 

2 REPUBLIC OF KOREA. 

3 The Secretary of State shall seek to urge the Govern4 ment of the Republic of Korea— 

5 (1) to reexamine Article 16–9 of the Republic 

6 of Korea’s Military Pension Act; and 

7 (2) to expeditiously locate the records and re8 mains of 7,235 combat dead of the Korean Con9 stabulary. 

10 SEC. 5. REPORT. 

11 The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress 

12 a report that contains the following: 

13 (1) A description of potential awards and rec14 ognition for officers and enlisted men of the Korean 

15 Constabulary. 

16 (2) If no such awards or recognition would 

17 apply, an examination of the possibility of estab18 lishing new such awards and recognition. 

19 SEC. 6. INTERMENT OF KOREAN CONSTABULARY VET20 ERANS. 

21 Section 2402(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 

22 amended by adding at the end the following new para23 graph: 

24 ‘‘(10)(A) An individual who served as an officer 

25 or enlisted man of the Korean Constabulary and at 

26 the time of death— 


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1 ‘‘(i) was a citizen of the United States or 

2 an alien lawfully admitted for permanent resi3 dence in the United States; and 

4 ‘‘(ii) resided in the United States. 

5 ‘‘(B) In this paragraph, the term ‘Korean Con6 stabulary’ means the constabulary force that pro7 vided internal security in Korea on behalf of the 

8 United States Military Government in Korea from 

9 November 1945 to January 1949.’’. 

Æ 


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