Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul speaks during a policy briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Wednesday. (Joint Press Corps via Yonhap) South Korea will begin preparations for the 2029 Invictus Games in Daejeon, the first edition of the international sporting event for wounded service personnel and veterans to be held in Asia, Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul said Wednesday.During a policy briefing presided over by President Lee Jae Myung, Kwon said the government plans to enact a special law and launch an organizing committee in 2027.The games are scheduled to take place from Oct. 6-15, 2029, at the Daejeon Convention Center and other venues in the city’s Yuseong district.Around 3,000 athletes, officials and family members from 28 countries are expected to participate in 12 sports, including sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball and indoor rowing.“We will work closely with the Daejeon city government and the private sector to establish a strong framework for successfully hosting the Games,” Kwon said.The central government will oversee diplomatic coordination, while Daejeon will provide venues and other infrastructure. Veterans’ organizations and corporate sponsors are also expected to take part.More support for young veterans, injured service membersKwon also outlined measures to expand support for young veterans and service members injured while on duty.The ministry plans to require public-sector employers to count military service toward employees’ pay and seniority. It will prepare guidelines in the second half of this year before introducing the policy in the public sector in February 2027.It will also seek to extend eligibility for government youth programs with age limits by the length of an applicant’s military service and increase job-transition allowances for medium- and long-term service members.For injured personnel, the Veterans and Defense ministries will link their information systems to share medical records and provide integrated assistance from treatment through veterans registration.The government also plans to allow injured personnel to apply for veterans status at any point during their service, rather than only within six months of discharge.Under a broader proactive support initiative, the government will identify eligible recipients instead of waiting for them to apply, including unclaimed Korean War dead and low-income veterans unaware of available benefits.