95-Year-Old 4·3 Surviving Prisoner Wrongfully Imprisoned for 74 Years Finally Exonerated

On the 6th, at the Jeju District Court, Park Hwachun (95), a surviving prisoner of the April 3 Incident, was leaving the courtroom after being acquitted through a retrial.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] A surviving prisoner who endured wrongful imprisonment under an illegal military trial during the Jeju 4·3 Incident and hid the victimization throughout her life has restored her honor 74 years later through an ex officio retrial. This is the first time a prisoner who was not recognized as a 4·3 victim has been acquitted through a retrial.

The Jeju District Court Criminal Division 4-1 (Chief Judge Jang Chan-su) acquitted 95-year-old surviving 4·3 prisoner Park Hwa-chun in an ex officio retrial held on the 6th.

In December 1948, Grandma Park was sentenced to one year in prison for treason and suffered wrongful imprisonment at places such as Jeonju Prison. During police interrogation, she was tortured, including being hung upside down from the ceiling, and was forced to falsely confess to "giving barley to the armed forces of the Namro Party."

Grandma Park hid her 4·3 victimization for fear that her family would suffer due to the principle of collective punishment but was recently identified as a surviving prisoner during the additional fact-finding investigation by the 4·3 Peace Foundation.

Although Grandma Park had not applied as a 4·3 victim and thus did not meet the special retrial requirements under the 4·3 Special Act, it was judged that she met the retrial conditions under the Criminal Procedure Act. Consequently, the Joint Task Force for Ex Officio Retrial of the 4·3 Incident filed an ex officio retrial request last month.

When the acquittal was announced, Grandma Park’s family, Jeju Governor Oh Young-hoon, and officials from 4·3 organizations applauded joyfully in unison. Grandma Park said, "I was ashamed and could not even tell my children about what I went through. I am sorry that because I spoke about (the 4·3 victimization), so many people had to work hard (to conduct this trial)."

Meanwhile, in the ex officio retrial requested by the Joint Task Force this morning?the 19th such request?30 victims were all acquitted. To date, 521 prisoners have restored their honor through ex officio retrials.