Truth and Reconciliation Commission Investigates Civilian Massacre Cases Before and After the Korean War

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has decided to investigate the truth regarding civilian mass casualty incidents before and after the Korean War.

On the 23rd, the TRC announced at its 89th meeting held at the Seoul Jung-gu office that it had decided to investigate the truth of seven casualty incidents caused by military, police, and hostile forces in the Jeonnam, Jeonbuk, Gyeongnam, and Chungnam regions.

The civilian casualty incident in Yeonggwang, Jeonnam, involved 41 civilians residing in Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do, who were illegally killed by soldiers and police from April 1949 to September 1951 on charges of leftist suspicion, collaboration during the People's Army occupation, or being family members of collaborators.

The TRC reviewed and analyzed testimonies from applicants and witnesses for 39 reported cases, records from the first Truth and Reconciliation Commission, family registers, genealogies, school records, and prison records, confirming the deaths of 41 and 21 victims respectively. The perpetrators were identified as the Yeonggwang Police Station, local police stations, and military-police suppression units.

Investigating 21 civilian casualty incidents in Jindo-gun, Jeonnam, from October 1950 to January 1951, the TRC confirmed the deaths of 22 civilians. Most victims were male, but the proportion of females was also 21.9%.

The TRC also assessed victims in casualty incidents in Dangjin, Chungnam, and Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk, civilian casualties caused by the National Guidance Alliance and military-police in Yesan, Chungnam, and casualties caused by hostile forces in the Jeonbuk region.

The TRC recommended that the national and local governments issue official apologies to the victims and their families, take measures for damage restoration, support memorial projects, incorporate these events into historical records, and conduct peace and human rights education.