[The State-Abandoned Seongam Academy②] Politicians Chant Slogans but Propose '0 Bills'... Victims Suffer Twice

Seongam Academy Ordinance Promised Life Stability Support... But Budget Execution Is '0 Won'
Victims Disappointed with the State... President and Gyeonggi Governor Must Restore Victims' Honor

Seongam Academy was a facility established in the early 1940s on Seongamdo Island in Ansan during the Japanese colonial period and operated until 1982. It forcibly admitted children and adolescents aged 8 to 18, violating their human rights. Gyeonggi Province is preparing support measures for the victims along with an official apology, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Past Issues is conducting investigations into the causes and scale of the harm. Asia Economy conveys the testimonies of victims who are still suffering, addressing measures to prevent the recurrence of state violence and ways to support the victims.

In May 2020, President Moon Jae-in promised to uncover the truth about Seongam Academy. However, the victims are only disappointed with the government. Currently, the investigation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission remains insufficient. (Source: President Moon Jae-in's Facebook)

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-seon] On April 28, the second-term Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Past Issues (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) Chairman Jeong Geun-sik and other commissioners visited the Seongam Academy site. This was the first time all commissioners visited a past-related site together.

The commissioners visited the Seongam Academy Incident Victim Reporting Center located on Seongam-ro, Danwon-gu, Ansan City, where they heard about the realities of human rights violations from Kim Young-bae, chairman of the Seongam Academy Child Victim Countermeasure Council. They then toured the Seongam History Museum operated by Gyeonggi Province, the former detention facility site, the memorial monument for the sacrificed children, and the victims’ cemetery for about an hour and a half.

The victims’ cemetery contains the remains of students who died from violence and disease within Seongam Academy or drowned while trying to escape the island. The number is estimated to be about 150. The commissioners paid tribute to the young souls as they toured the cemetery. After visiting the site, Chairman Jeong Geun-sik said, "The state confined socially vulnerable groups, who should have been protected, under an anti-human rights legal framework that labeled them as ‘vagrants’ subject to policing and correction, thereby violating their human rights through the duality of violence and protection." He added, "Having visited the site and listened to the victims’ voices with the commissioners, we will do our best to announce the results of the truth investigation as soon as possible."

Former Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung Was Active Before the Presidential Election... But Support for Livelihood Stability Remains '0 Won'

Ordinance on Support for Victims of the Seongam Academy Incident in Gyeonggi Province. Article 4 promises to provide livelihood stabilization support for the victims of Seongam Academy. However, no related budget has been executed to date.

So far, about 170 people have filed truth investigation requests with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission regarding the Seongam Academy incident. The commission has completed investigations for most applicants and is conducting face-to-face interviews with witnesses, analyzing Seongam Academy operational data, and investigating materials related to crackdowns and detentions. The commission plans to investigate △ the legal issues of child protection policies during authoritarian regimes △ the structural causes of public authority exercised during crackdowns △ and the operational realities of Seongam Academy to clarify the causes and scale of the harm.

Political circles have shown interest in Seongam Academy for some time. However, since the 21st National Assembly began in 2020, not a single bill related to Seongam Academy has been proposed. The situation has regressed compared to the 20th National Assembly (2016?2020). On September 19, 2019, then-Assemblywoman Kwon Mi-hyeok of the Democratic Party of Korea introduced a bill concerning the investigation and compensation for the Seongam Academy victims. The bill included provisions for truth investigation and compensation for the victims. However, the bill ultimately failed to pass and expired with the end of the legislative term. Won Mi-jung, a Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly member who contributed to the bill’s proposal, said, "Although a special law was discussed in the National Assembly at the time, it was ultimately shelved due to cost issues. Instead, a past affairs law was passed, but it did not include compensation or reparations."

Victims unanimously say that Gyeonggi Province’s response has been lukewarm. Until former Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung ran for president, the province was proactive in restoring the victims of Seongam Academy. In January 2020, Lee issued an official apology to the victims via Facebook. In 2016, the ‘Ordinance on Support for Victims of the Seongam Academy Incident in Gyeonggi Province,’ focusing on victim support and recovery, was enacted, but it has been confirmed that no budget for livelihood stability support for victims has ever been spent. A Gyeonggi Provincial Government official said, "Victims have not yet been confirmed," and "The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is currently conducting investigations." However, the medical support project specified in the same ordinance is being carried out for 4,691 people.

Jung Jin-gak, director of the Ansan Regional History Research Institute, said, "Victims disappointed with the state do not trust state-led investigations and are not cooperating," adding, "To restore their honor, the president or the governor of Gyeonggi Province should take the lead and show active commitment through official apologies."

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