Expansion of Support for Victims of Human Rights Abuses at Seongam Academy and Promotion of Remains Excavation

Gyeonggi Province will provide support funds to victims who were admitted to Ansan City's 'Seongam Academy' before the preparation of the student register, starting as early as June. Additionally, from July, it will also undertake excavation work for the remains of Seongam Academy victims on behalf of the state.

Seongam Academy was a juvenile detention facility established in 1942 in the area of 101-19 Seongam-ro, Danwon-gu, Ansan City, where for about 40 years until 1982, over 4,700 boys were subjected to forced labor, beatings, and harsh treatment, violating their human rights. Currently, on the site (approximately 90,000㎡), 11 buildings remain that were formerly used as children's dormitories, staff quarters, stables, and salt warehouses. In October 2022, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended that the state and Gyeonggi Province take protective measures for the Seongam Academy historic site.

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 11th that it has started accepting applications for support funds from this month for victims admitted before 1954, when the Seongam Academy student register was created.

Previously, since March last year, Gyeonggi Province has provided living stabilization support funds of 200,000 KRW per month and a one-time consolation payment of 5 million KRW to victims of child human rights violations at Seongam Academy residing in the province. The number of beneficiaries increased from 123 in the first quarter of 2023 to 204 in the first quarter of this year.

However, since the selection of beneficiaries was based on the student register, those admitted between 1942 and 1954, a 13-year period during which no student register was created, and who suffered various abuses, have not received support funds.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon is bowing his head while shaking hands with the victims of Seongam Academy.

To resolve this issue, Gyeonggi Province has established a separate verification process involving guarantees from victim organizations and review and deliberation by the Gyeonggi Province Seongam Academy Incident Victim Support Deliberation Committee to provide relief to victims admitted before 1954.

Gyeonggi Province plans to provide support funds to victims from as early as the end of June after receiving applications and completing verification.

Masunheung, Gyeonggi Province's Human Rights Officer, stated, "Through this measure, we hope to alleviate the grievances of victims admitted before the student register was created," adding, "We will fulfill our responsibility until all wounds of Seongam Academy victims are healed and their tarnished honor is fully restored."

Gyeonggi Province has allocated a total budget of 2.35 billion KRW this year for the Seongam Academy incident victim support project, including victim support funds, medical support, excavation of victims' remains, and preservation of the historic site.

Furthermore, after obtaining land use consent and conducting preliminary investigations regarding Seongam Academy, excavation of victims' remains will be promoted on behalf of the state starting as early as July.