Washington, DC – "I am pleased that the VA has acknowledged the possibility that some veterans who served in the Republic of Korea during 1968 and 1969 may have been exposed to Agent Orange" said Congressman Lane Evans, the Ranking Democratic Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Evans’ comment came in response to a recently promulgated directive by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer veterans who served in the Republic of Korea during 1968 and 1969 the same Agent Orange Registry examination currently provided to veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era.

In the past, some veterans who had served in Korea had been denied a registry examination because the program was limited to veterans who served in Vietnam. Recent information from the Department of Defense indicates that a small amount of Agent Orange was used in Korea during 1968 and 1969 near the southern border of the demilitarized zone (DMZ). Much smaller amounts of herbicide were used in Korea than in Vietnam. It is possible that some U.S. veterans who served near the DMZ may have been exposed, even though the Department of Defense contends its records indicate that all of the spraying was done by troops from the Republic of Korea.

Evans encourages veterans who served in Korea, especially those who were stationed near the DMZ, to request an Agent Orange Registry Examination at their nearest VA Medical facility. "I hope that as more information is obtained concerning the health of veterans with service in Korea, particularly those who served near the DMZ, we will be able to determine if they suffer from illnesses known to be associated with herbicide exposure."

At the present time, veterans who served in Korea are not offered additional health care and compensation benefits based upon a presumption of service-connection due to exposure to herbicides like Agent Orange and the contaminant dioxin. However, veterans who can establish that they were exposed to herbicides during military service and that it is as likely as not that a present illness is related to that exposure can meet the criteria for service-connected benefits.