[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, has instructed to expand the prosecution's ex officio retrial requests for prisoners of the 'Jeju 4·3 Incident' beyond the military courts specified by law to include prisoners from general trials not explicitly mentioned.
According to the Ministry of Justice on the 10th, Minister Han, while receiving a report on the progress of the prosecution's 'Jeju 4·3 Incident Ex Officio Retrial Recommendation Joint Task Force,' said, "Not only the military courts specified in the 4·3 Special Act but also the prisoners of general trials and their bereaved families have a great need for restoration of honor and rights relief. Therefore, please prepare measures to expand ex officio retrial requests to prisoners of general trials not specified in the 4·3 Special Act."
Our 'Special Act on the Investigation of the Jeju 4·3 Incident and the Restoration of Honor for the Victims (4·3 Special Act)' stipulates that only those listed in the annex of orders issued by the 'military courts' related to the incident (prisoners) can be recommended to the Minister of Justice for ex officio retrial requests of guilty verdicts. The Minister of Justice receiving the request may take necessary measures. Minister Han's instruction this time is intended to look beyond the legal provisions limited to military courts and also consider general trials.
Meanwhile, since February 10, the prosecution joint task force has ex officio requested retrials for 340 prisoners related to the military courts of the Jeju 4·3 Incident, and among them, 250 were acquitted.
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