It embarrasses us to guess what thoughts came across the mind of a soldier who lost both of his legs in land mine explosions last month when he knew he would have to pay for his treatment if he stayed in a private hospital for longer than a month.

The Defense Ministry was right to assume all the costs of treating the Army sergeant, who was transferred from a military hospital to a private one better equipped to treat his severe wounds. He was one of the two soldiers maimed in the Aug. 4 land mine blasts in the Demilitarized Zone believed to have been the fault of North Korea. The other soldier, whose right ankle was amputated, was treated in a military hospital.

Under the current law, a wounded soldier can receive government support for only up to 30 days of treatment in a private hospital, far shorter than the two years applied to civil service members. Despite the belated measure to cover all the additional medical costs at a private clinic, the ministry -- and the nation as a whole -- should feel ashamed for having left the improper rule unchanged until now.

Praise has been heaped on the two courageous and resolute soldiers, with money donated by corporations and individuals to help them. But it was embarrassing that one of them had been made to pay for his treatment after the flood of compliments.

In fact, another Army sergeant hurt in a land mine accident last year covered nearly half of his medical costs with his own money.

The rule in question on compensation for wounded servicepersons came under the spotlight last week only after a ruling party lawmaker proposed a revision to the military pension law to extend the period of giving support for treatment at private clinics to two years and, if necessary, longer. The revision bill should be passed as early as possible during the ongoing parliamentary session.

True, the perception has been strengthened in our society that the state should indefinitely and without limits take care of soldiers and other public servants wounded in implementing their duties and give them more than sufficient compensation. The latest embarrassing case should serve to turn this enhanced perception into thorough efforts to mend related rules and systems.