Fifteen Warheads Discovered at Former Jeonnam Provincial Office

Multiple Gunshot Wounds Confirmed During 1980 Martial Law Troops Suppression

On the 27th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that fifteen bullet heads were discovered in six buildings of the old Jeonnam Provincial Government Office. The buildings where bullet mark investigations were conducted include the main government office building, annex, government meeting room, provincial police bureau, provincial police civil affairs office, and Sangmugwan. All of these places are known to have experienced multiple shootings when martial law troops suppressed the government office on May 27, 1980.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism formed the Old Jeonnam Provincial Government Office Restoration Promotion Team and began investigations in July 2020. In the preliminary survey, 535 suspected bullet marks were found, and fifteen bullet heads were discovered in two detailed investigations. Component analysis conducted by the National Forensic Service (NFS) confirmed all of them as bullet heads.

A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official explained, "We found nine bullet heads in the main building, four in the police bureau, one in the ginkgo tree at the main building, and one in Sangmugwan," adding, "We investigated bullet marks using non-destructive tests such as radiographic transmission and infrared thermography." The official further stated, "The detailed investigation process and results will be databased and managed, and exhibition content will be produced to be unveiled upon the opening of the restored old Jeonnam Provincial Government Office in 2025."