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Hair Loss News Archives
February 2008
Soldier gets benefits for baldness
Feb 2008
A 26-year-old South Korean man has been granted a national merit entitling
him to government subsidies after he went bald during his "stressful" army
service, a news report said Sunday.
A court in Suwon, 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Seoul, ruled in favor of a
petition by the army reserve, known as Mr. Kwon, to get a
"person-of-national-merit" status, Yonhap News Agency said.
People of national merit are entitled to a monthly state subsidy for livelihood
and various other social benefits in South Korea.
Kwon joined the army in December 2002 and his hair began falling out in July
2004. He blamed his training for the alopecia, which has worsened, and demanded
compensation from the government, Yonhap said.
He was discharged from the service in January 2005.
The authorities decided not to award him merit, citing no precedence and
relevance, but Kwon filed a lawsuit against the decision, which he won, the
report said.
"Given various facts ... including that the loss of hair began in the military
service, the alopecia was caused by stress pertaining to training and missions
in the military life," the court ruled, according to Yonhap.
All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve in the military for at least two
years.