In May Group and Testimony Events, Repeated "I Don't Know"
Former 3rd Airborne Brigade's Choi Myung-yong Testified for Truth Investigation
Only Responded "I Didn't Know the Scene Due to Situation Room Duty"... Victims Feel Frustrated
Choi Myung-yong, retired major who served as the situation room chief at the time, is speaking at the testimony session of martial law troops held by the 5·18 Victims Association and others at the 5·18 Memorial Culture Center in Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City. [Photo by Min Hyun-ki]
The 5·18 Democratic Movement Injured Veterans Association and Meritorious Persons Association invited the martial law troops deployed during the 5·18 incident to hold a second testimony session, but it ended without any meaningful outcome. The event was criticized as a hollow ceremony, with only uninformative remarks such as "I don't know" and "I wasn't at the scene."
On the 20th, the two organizations, together with the Special Forces Comrades Association, held an event titled "Today's Testimony is the First Step Toward Uncovering the Truth of 5·18" at the Daedong Hall of the 5·18 Memorial Culture Center in Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City.
At the event, Choi Myung-yong (77), who served as a major and intelligence staff officer of the 3rd Airborne Brigade during 5·18 and worked as the situation room chief at Chonnam National University’s bunker, took the stand to testify.
Choi stated, "More than 100 people died after soldiers near Chonnam National University assaulted them with clubs," and added, "At that time, over 150 prisoners were loaded onto three trucks, and after tear gas was deployed, more than 10 people died."
He continued, "The deceased were buried by my subordinates near the Gwangju Prison cemetery and within Chonnam National University," and said, "When I later visited the site, buildings had been constructed over it, so it was impossible to find them."
He explained, "The order to dispatch the 3rd Airborne Brigade to Gwangju was first issued from the Presidential Office, and the order was received from Brigade Commander Choi Se-chang, a graduate of the 13th class of the Korea Military Academy, who was the commander of the 3rd Airborne Brigade at the time."
Choi said, "Although I did not receive direct orders to fire, I was instructed to 'take action as you see fit if the situation becomes dangerous,'" and added, "Since live ammunition was supplied and we were told to act if it became dangerous, I consider that to be an order to fire."
The problem was that when asked various questions aimed at approaching the truth of 5·18, only hollow answers such as "I don't know" were given.
Kim Tae-su, director of the 5·18 Injured Veterans Association Central Committee, asked, "An ordinary soldier in the military cannot decide to fire because they judge it dangerous, so who was the commander who instructed to act as you see fit in dangerous situations?" Choi replied, "I was the situation room chief, so I was not at the scene and do not know."
Kang Gil-jo (75), who was arrested at the Chonnam National University intersection on May 20 and transferred to prison, asked, "I was caught at Chonnam National University and trapped inside a truck filled with tear gas for several minutes on the way to the prison, which should have taken only a few minutes, and only arrived after sunset, causing greater damage. After being transferred to prison, people were beaten to death daily, and 38 people were recorded with the character '正' (correct). Please explain this."
Choi responded, "I worked in the situation room and only received reports, so I was not at the scene and do not know."
He also testified, "Commander Choi Se-chang was not at Gwangju Station but only at Chonnam National University," which contradicted previous testimonies from martial law troops of the 3rd Airborne Brigade who were deployed on the scene stating that "Commander Choi Se-chang fired three pistol shots in front of Gwangju Station as a signal to commence shooting."
Additionally, regarding helicopter gunfire at Geumnam-ro and the post-mortem handling of secretly buried bodies, he consistently answered, "I did not see it directly, so I do not know."
Given this situation, victims who witnessed the 5·18 Democratic Movement on site expressed their frustration.
Choi Kyu-hyun (70), who was collectively assaulted by martial law troops in front of the Provincial Government Office’s Sangmugwan on May 18, said, "Testimony is supposed to reveal facts we did not know and explain the scene at the time, but I don’t understand why someone who was only in the office came out to testify," showing his disappointment.
Hwang Il-bong, president of the 5·18 Democratic Movement Injured Veterans Association, responded to criticism calling it a "watered-down testimony session," saying, "Since only one person out of about 4,500 members of the 3rd, 7th, and 11th Airborne Brigades who were deployed appeared, I think some disappointment is understandable."
Meanwhile, after the event, Choi moved to the National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Buk-gu, where he offered incense and a moment of silence at the memorial tower, then paid respects at the grave of the first martyr of 5·18, the late Kim Kyung-chul.
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