Illegal Detention Followed by Killing by Military and Police
Victims Are Civilians Engaged in Agriculture
Religious Victim Cases Also Investigated
The 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) has decided to investigate the truth regarding the 'National Guidance Alliance and Preliminary Arrest Incident' that occurred in the areas of Chungcheongbuk-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission announced on the 12th that it held the 80th plenary session and decided to investigate the truth of a total of five cases, including the National Guidance Alliance incident and other mass sacrifice incidents that occurred during the Korean War.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission confirmed circumstances in which two residents living in Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk, in July 1950 were taken by local police and the national army and sacrificed on the grounds that they had joined the National Guidance Alliance or were subjects of surveillance. The victims were men and women in their 20s, civilians engaged in agriculture and household work. They were detained in the Gimcheon Police Station detention center and Gimcheon Prison, and then killed in Guseong-myeon, Gimcheon City.
In the Chungbuk Cheongju and Cheongwon areas (now Cheongju City), an incident occurred in which 37 residents were sacrificed by soldiers and police on the grounds that they were members of the National Guidance Alliance or subjects of surveillance. They were detained in each jurisdictional police station from the end of June to July 1950 and then killed.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission judged that it was clearly illegal for the state agency police to kill unarmed civilians without due process, and decided to officially recommend an apology from the state and to investigate the truth.
In addition, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission decided to investigate the truth regarding the sacrifice incidents caused by hostile forces that occurred in the Chungcheong-do area. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission confirmed circumstances in which 54 Christians were collectively sacrificed at Byeongchon Seonggyeol Church in Nonsan, Chungnam, over three months from July 1950. The 54 victims were Christians or attended churches such as right-wing figures, and were taken by the People's Army and others, tortured, and then killed.
Furthermore, it was revealed that 21 residents in the Chungbuk area, including Jecheon City, were sacrificed by hostile forces from April 1948 to 1951 on the grounds that they were family members of soldiers and police. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission decided to investigate the truth of the incident and recommended that the state reflect it in historical records and take measures to restore damages.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission also decided to investigate the truth of the 'civilian sacrifice incident by military and police' that occurred in Jindo, Jeonnam. The incident involved 10 residents in the Jindo-gun area who were sacrificed by the police on charges of collaborating with the People's Army from October 1950 to January of the following year. The investigation confirmed that most of the victims were men in their 20s to 30s engaged in agriculture.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission urged the state and local governments to officially apologize to the bereaved families and take measures to restore damages, recommending support for memorial projects.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
