Tens of thousands of Korean survivors returned to their now-independent homeland, many battling health problems and social stigma. Today, around 1,600 South Korean survivors are believed to still be alive—82 of them at the Hapcheon center. While Korea passed a law in 2016 granting survivors a small monthly stipend (~$72), no official help exists for their children or grandchildren, many of whom suffer from congenital illnesses due to radiation exposure. Jeong Soo-won, director of the Hapcheon center, calls for laws to support second- and third-generation survivors, saying they too carry the legacy of Hiroshima in their bodies and lives.
