Sancheong County Councilor Cho Gyunhwan Proposes Memorial Project for Oegong-ri Civilian Massacre

Systematic county-level project needed to restore victims' honor and preserve historical record
1951 mass killing confirmed through investigation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

At the 311th Extraordinary Session of the Sancheong County Council, held as the first plenary session, Councilor Cho Gyunhwan of the Sancheong County Council in South Gyeongsang Province proposed promoting a memorial project for the civilian massacre in Oegong-ri, Sicheon-myeon, Sancheong.

Councilor Cho stressed that the Oegong-ri incident is a painful part of the local history and that a systematic memorial project at the county level is needed to restore the honor of the victims and to ensure an accurate historical record.

Sancheong County Council, 2026 311th Extraordinary Session Councilor Jo Gyunhwan 5-minute Free Speech Photo

The civilian massacre in Oegong-ri, Sicheon-myeon, Sancheong refers to the incident in which hundreds of civilians were killed collectively in the Sojeonggol area of Oegong-ri, Sicheon-myeon, between late February and early March 1951. During an investigation conducted in 2008 by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, remains of approximately 250 victims were recovered, confirming the reality of the incident.

Councilor Cho explained that while Sancheong County has been promoting memorial projects for the Sancheong-Hamyang civilian massacre, the Sicheon-Samjang civilian massacre, and the National Guidance League incident, the Oegong-ri incident has received relatively little attention.

Accordingly, Councilor Cho proposed the promotion of regular memorial projects, including the construction of a monument to honor the victims and the annual holding of a joint memorial service. He also stated that, in connection with the Ordinance on Support for Memorial Projects for Civilian Victims of the Korean War in Sancheong County, the legal basis for memorial projects including the Oegong-ri incident should be clearly established, and that active support from the state and South Gyeongsang Province should be sought.