Prosecutors Launch Joint Task Force for Jeju 4·3 Incident Ex Officio Retrial

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The prosecution has officially launched a government joint task force to assist with ex officio retrials for those who were convicted in military trials during the Jeju 4·3 Incident.

On the 24th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced that the "Jeju 4·3 Incident Ex Officio Retrial Recommendation Joint Task Force" held a plaque ceremony in Jeju Province and began its official activities.

Previously, the Jeju 4·3 Incident Truth Investigation and Victims' Honor Restoration Committee recommended to the Ministry of Justice to file ex officio retrial petitions for 2,530 convicts who had been found guilty. In response, Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye instructed the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to "swiftly file ex officio retrial petitions and do their utmost to restore the honor of the victims and their families," leading to the formation of the joint task force.

The joint task force, organized under the direct jurisdiction of the Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office, consists of Task Force Leader Lee Jae-gwan, two prosecutors, two prosecution investigators, one administrative officer, and two police officers. A cooperative system has also been established with Jeju Provincial Government and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

First, the joint task force will proceed with the process of identifying individuals listed in the convict registry together with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Jeju Provincial Government. The 2,530 Jeju residents recommended for ex officio retrial petitions were convicted of charges such as espionage in military courts held between December 1948 and July 1949 and served prison sentences.

Meanwhile, the plaque ceremony was attended by Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo, Jeju District Prosecutor Lee Won-seok, Director of Public Security Investigation Support at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Lee Young-nam, Acting Governor of Jeju Koo Man-seop, Chairman of Jeju Provincial Council Jwa Nam-su, Chief of Jeju Police Agency Kang Hwang-soo, and Director of the Past Affairs Support Group at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety Yoon Myung-il. Prosecutor General Kim stated, "Please focus on restoring the honor of the victims and their families and carry out the retrial work thoroughly," adding, "By properly conducting the retrial petition work, we will share in Jeju’s pain."

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