Truth and Reconciliation Commission Decides to Investigate Civilian Casualty Cases Related to US Military in Jeolla Region

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) decided on the 8th to investigate the truth regarding the 'Civilian Casualty Incidents Related to U.S. Military in the Jeolla Region' and other mass civilian casualty incidents before and after the Korean War.

Park Sun-young, Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, speaking. Photo by Yonhap News.

On the same day, at the 94th committee meeting, the TRC announced that it had made decisions on truth investigation and inability to investigate the truth regarding the 'Civilian Casualty Incidents Related to U.S. Military in the Jeolla Region' and recommended follow-up measures to relevant institutions.

The TRC comprehensively analyzed 22 cases (166 people) of civilian casualties related to the U.S. military in the Jeolla region, including testimonies from applicants and witnesses, family registers, genealogies, records from the first Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and U.S. military-related documents. As a result, it was confirmed that from August 1950 to March 1951, during the Korean War period, 14 civilians died and one was injured in areas such as Gokseong, Gwangyang, Yeosu, Naju, and Suncheon during U.S. military operations. The victims were mainly women and elderly people who had not evacuated during the Korean War but stayed in or near their villages and were killed by U.S. military bombings or machine-gun fire.

The TRC recommended that the state and local governments take measures for damage restoration, support memorial projects, conduct peace and human rights education, and correct public records such as family relationship registries regarding civilian damages that occurred in the absence of appropriate state protection measures. In addition, the TRC also conducted truth investigations into civilian casualty incidents caused by hostile forces in Hwasun, Jeonnam, and by military and police forces in Wando, Jeonnam.

Meanwhile, this is the third case in which the TRC has investigated the truth about civilian casualty incidents related to the U.S. military, following incidents in the Gyeongbuk region and the Jeolla region. The TRC plans to continue announcing investigation results sequentially by region for civilian casualty incidents related to the U.S. military that occurred nationwide in the future.