'Comfort for Boys'... Gyeonggi-do to Hold Memorial Ceremony for 'Seongam Academy' Victims on the 2nd

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The memorial cultural festival honoring the souls of the victims of the 'Seongam Academy' child rights violation case will be held again this year.

The Seongam Academy case involved over 4,700 boys who were forcibly put to hard labor under the pretext of reforming vagrants from the Japanese colonial period in 1942 until 1982. They suffered human rights abuses such as beatings and malnutrition, and many lost their lives while attempting to escape.

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 1st that the Seongam Academy memorial cultural festival, held annually in May since 2016, will be conducted this year on October 2nd in the form of a memorial video considering COVID-19 and other factors.

The province has traditionally held the Seongam Academy memorial cultural festival on the last Saturday of May each year to coincide with the official opening date of Seongam Academy (May 29, 1942). However, judging that holding the festival on the closing date (October 1, 1982) carries more significance for the victims, the event will be held on the first Saturday of October starting this year.

This year’s memorial cultural festival video was filmed at the newly renovated Seongam History Museum site and presents materials related to the tragedy of Seongam Academy in a way that is easy for the general public to understand.

In addition, the video includes a memorial service, commemorative performances, a thematic performance, and video messages from Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, Chairman Jeong Geun-sik of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Jang Hyun-guk, Chairperson of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council.

Governor Lee Jae-myung said in his video message, "The Seongam Academy child rights violation case is not just a problem of the past but a universal human rights issue that we living today must resolve. With the resumption of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s activities, a path has opened for the government to uncover the truth. We will do our best to ensure that the truth is revealed as soon as possible and that the victims’ honor is restored and compensation is promptly provided."

Chairman Jeong Geun-sik of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission stated, "We have heard testimonies from about 70 victims by the end of August. The commission will actively work to uncover the full truth by the first half of next year. We offer our condolences to the surviving victims of Seongam Academy and to those who suffered human rights abuses and sacrificed their lives. We hope that raising awareness of their hardships will not only comfort the victims but also serve as an opportunity for the advancement of human rights in our country."

This year’s memorial cultural festival video can be viewed on October 2nd from 10 p.m. via the official Gyeonggi Province YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was relaunched last December, is currently investigating the 'Seongam Academy child rights violation case.' If you were a victim at Seongam Academy or know of someone who was, please contact the Truth and Reconciliation Commission at 02-3393-9700.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.