Truth and Reconciliation Commission Investigates Civilian Casualty Incident Involving Military and Police in Haenam, Jeonnam

54 People Sacrificed on Charges of Collaborating with the People's Army
Gyeongnam Police Also Investigate Truth Behind Mass Execution Incident
Police Deemed Illegal in Preliminary Civilian Arrests

The 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) held its 79th meeting and announced on the 29th that it had decided to investigate the truth about the 'civilian casualties caused by military and police forces' that occurred in Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission confirmed that 54 civilians residing in the Haenam-gun area of Jeollanam-do were victimized by police officers belonging to the Haenam Police Station and its jurisdictional branches from February 1949 to November 1951 on the grounds of alleged collaboration with the People's Army. The victims suffered because they were accused of collaborating during the People's Army occupation or were family members of collaborators.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission also decided to investigate the truth about an incident in which 46 residents in the Hampyeong-gun area of Jeollanam-do were victimized by soldiers and police from July to August 1950, on the grounds that they were family members of collaborators or suspected collaborators. The investigation confirmed that the victims were illegally killed by soldiers of the 20th Regiment of the 11th Division of the Republic of Korea Army and police officers belonging to the Hampyeong Police Station.

As a result of this truth investigation, the number of individuals subject to truth verification for civilian casualties caused by military and police forces in Haenam and Hampyeong, Jeollanam-do, has increased to a total of 130 and 115, respectively.

In addition, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission decided to investigate the truth about the 'National Guidance Alliance and Preliminary Arrest Incident' that occurred during the Korean War in Miryang-si and Sancheong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do. Police officers from the Miryang Police Station and its jurisdictional branches detained five residents from July to August 1950, on the grounds that they were members of the National Guidance Alliance or persons under surveillance, and collectively killed them while they were held in detention cells.

Eleven residents of Sancheong-gun were taken to the Sancheong Police Station in July 1950 due to their membership in the National Guidance Alliance and were subsequently killed in a mass killing. According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, most of the victims were men in their 20s to 40s, and a significant number were civilians engaged in agriculture.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission also decided to investigate the truth about an incident in Jeonbuk where 14 residents were victimized by police in police station detention cells and mountain areas on the grounds that they were members of the National Guidance Alliance.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission judged that the acts of state agencies such as the police arbitrarily arresting civilians for preliminary detention and killing them without legal grounds or due process were clear illegal acts. Accordingly, it urged local governments to issue official apologies to the victims and their families, and recommended measures for damage restoration and support for memorial projects.