Jeonnam Province commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Yeosu-Suncheon 10·19 Incident, honoring the souls of the victims and consoling the pain of their bereaved families.
The province announced on the 19th that it held the 75th Joint Memorial Ceremony for the Yeosu-Suncheon 10·19 Incident at the Gohung Culture Hall Plaza.
The ceremony was attended by regional leaders and politicians including Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province; Seo Dong-wook, Chairman of the Jeonnam Provincial Council; Kim Seung-nam, Member of the National Assembly; Seo Dong-yong, Member of the National Assembly; Kim Dae-jung, Superintendent of Jeonnam Office of Education; and Gong Young-min, Mayor of Goheung County.
Representing the government was Koo Man-seop, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. More than 400 bereaved family members of the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident, including Lee Kyu-jong, Standing Representative of the Yeosu-Suncheon National Bereaved Families Association, also attended to deliver messages of reflection and reconciliation regarding past events.
Under the theme “The Path to Truth and Reconciliation of the Yeosu-Suncheon 10·19 Incident, We Stand Together,” the memorial ceremony proceeded with a moment of silence honoring the victims, flower offerings and incense burning, greetings, memorial speeches, reading of bereaved family stories, commemorative performances, and a memorial service.
In particular, the reading of the bereaved family story by Jin Soon-ae, the bereaved wife of victim Jin Gap-cheol, and the memorial performance by the Goheung Space Choir deeply conveyed the pain and emotion of the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident, consoling the spirits of the victims and bringing tears to the eyes of the attending bereaved families and residents.
This memorial ceremony, the second government-supported event since the enactment of the special law, was also marked by condolences and mourning from government officials.
President Yoon Suk-yeol sent a condolence wreath. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo conveyed a message through a memorial video, stating, “We will do our best to uncover the truth and restore the honor of the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident, and through this, open the path of reconciliation and coexistence so that all citizens can empathize with our history.”
Koo Man-seop, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, who attended as a government representative, said, “This year, the government amended the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident Act to ensure that not a single victim or bereaved family suffers injustice,” adding, “We will continue to fulfill our role until the wounds of the bereaved families are healed.”
Governor Kim Young-rok stated, “I will strive to make the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident a symbol of hope that opens a future of coexistence and harmony through nationwide projects.”
He added, “We will establish a master plan for the Yeosu Incident memorial project to raise public interest and understanding of the historical truth and dedicate all efforts to spreading awareness. We will steadfastly and unwaveringly work to achieve clear truth-finding and full restoration of honor that the victims and bereaved families have long wished for.”
The Yeosu-Suncheon 10·19 Incident refers to an event during the early stage of the establishment of the government when some soldiers of the 14th Regiment of the National Army stationed in Yeosu refused the government’s order to suppress the ‘Jeju 4·3 Incident’ and initiated a rebellion. This led to chaos, armed conflicts, and the suppression process from October 19, 1948, to April 1, 1955, in Yeosu, Suncheon, and parts of Jeonnam Province, Jeonbuk Province, and Gyeongsang Province, resulting in numerous civilian casualties.
Applications for damage claims related to the Yeosu-Suncheon 10·19 Incident are open until December 31, with approximately 7,000 cases submitted so far. Among these, about 1,500 cases have passed the working committee, and 345 cases have been finally decided by the central committee.
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