Below are some of the summarized cases the TRC has been dealt with for last few months. Visit our website for more details. (www.jinsil.go.kr)
Mass Murder of Accused Leftists in Naju
Twenty seven petitioners filed for a truth verification of a mass murder taken place in Naju, February 26, 1951. According to the petitioners, a total of twenty eight villagers were summarily executed at Cheolcheon-ri, Bonghwang—myeon in Naju-si without adequate judicial procedures with accusation of collaborating with communist guerillas. The TRC found the Naju Police Special Forces was responsible for the atrocity, and recommended the government to officially apologize to the victims, subsequently restore the honor of the dead, and implement preventive measures.
Falsification of an Espionage Charge on Lee Soo-keun
Lee Soo-keun, the former vice president of the [1]Korean Central News Agency in the [2]Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was exiled to the [3]Republic of Korea through the Demilitarized Zone in March 22, 1967. Lee, then, had worked as an analyst at the [4]KCIA until he was caught by KCIA agents en route to Cambodia under forged passports on January 27, 1969. After returning to South Korea, Lee was charged with violating the National Security Law and the Anti-communist Law by secretly collecting classified information and taking them out of the country, etc. Death sentence was imposed on Lee on May 10, 1969 and his execution was subsequently followed on July 2 of the same year. South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, hereby ascertained the KCIA illegally confined Lee, thereby meeting prerequisites of a retrial abiding by the provision 7 under Article 420 and Article 422 of the Criminal Law. The commission also said the illegal confinement during the interrogation, the prosecution solely relying on defendant’s statements failed to satisfy the Rule of Evidence. Hereby, the commission recommended the government with an official apology, restoration of the honor of the dead, and a retrial in accordance with its findings.
Abduction of Taeyoungho
Five petitioners pleaded for a truth verification concerning an abduction case of Taeyoungho crews. The crews were forcibly taken away by the North Korean coast guards when they get caught fishing on the North Korean side of the [5]Military Demarcation Line (MDL). They were sentenced guilty by the South Korean authorities for violating Anti-communist Law soon after they returned from the four-month detention in North Korea. The commission found illegal confinement and torture were imposed to the crews during interrogation at Buan Police Office, which makes the case qualified for a retrial. Additionally, the commission verified the falsification of an espionage charge on the abductees and the prosecution without sufficient evidences, only based on testimonies from the defendants, did not meet the [6]Rule of Evidence. Hereby, the commission advised the government to officially apologize to the victims and have a retrial in accordance with its findings.
Falsified Espionage Charges on Shin Gui-young’s Family
Shin Gui-young was sentenced 10 years of imprisonment for allegedly collecting classified military information with an order given by Shin Soo-young, the senior member of [7]Chosen Soren in Japan. Shin was sentenced guilty at the Busan District Court in 1980 and released upon completion of his 10 year term. The commission ascertained the forceful confinement and the torture given to Shin violated the rule of evidence, thereby advising the government with an official apology and a retrial in accordance with the findings.
Aram-hoe Incident
Park Hae-jeon et. al., a total of eleven residents of Geumsan and Daejon of which occupations varied from teacher, student, salary man, soldier, housewife, etc., had held a regular meeting between May 1980 and July 1981, based on friendship originated from their school days. They were taken to the Daejon Police Office and arrested soon after for having inappropriate gatherings and subsequently exchanging traitorous conversation therein. They were accused of violating the National Security Law by constituting a treasonous organization and praising enemies of the nation, and sentenced with the 10 years of imprisonment and suspension, etc. The commission found the concerned investigative institutes including Chungcheongnam-do’s Provisional Police Station conducted illegal confinement, brutal torture, and improperly imposed charges on the victims without sufficient evidence. Hereby, the TRC recommended the government with a retrial of the case along with an official apology to the victims.
[1] The state news agency of North Korea and has existed since December 5, 1946; headquartered in Pyongyang, the capital of the North Korea and released its articles in English, Russian, and Spanish.
[2] DPRK, a.k.a., known as North Korea
[3] ROK, a.k.a., known as South Korea
[4] The precedent entity of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in South Korea
[5] a.k.a., Armistice Line, is the border between North Korea and South Korea. The Military Demarcation Line was established as the ceasefire line at the end of Korean War hostilities in 1953.
[6] Rule of evidence is that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt; because no accused person may be forced to testify against himself, the prosecution must supply evidence of the crime.
[7] a.k.a., Jochongryon (조총련 in Korean) is one of two main organizations for Koreans residing in Japan, and has close ties to North Korea (DPRK).
