Taeyoungho: "Jeju 4·3 Incident Leaders Buried at North Korea's Patriotic Martyrs Cemetery"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 14th, Tae Young-ho, a member of the People Power Party and former North Korean diplomat who sparked controversy by claiming that the Jeju 4.3 Incident was triggered by North Korean leader Kim Il-sung, maintained his stance by stating, "The ringleaders of the Jeju 4.3 Incident are buried at the North Korean Patriotic Martyrs Cemetery."

He said on his social media (SNS), "Since my university days in North Korea, I have been taught that Kim Il-sung was the mastermind behind the 4.3 Incident, and I still believe so."

Tae Young-ho, a member of the People Power Party, is expressing his thoughts after registering as a candidate for the Supreme Council on the 2nd at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

Rep. Tae stated, "During the chaotic period after liberation, Kim Il-sung opposed the United Nations' proposal for a South-North Korean general election, demanded the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, and instructed the South Korean Workers' Party at the time to initiate a nationwide uprising to oppose the May 10 single election." He added, "At that time, the South Korean Workers' Party's Jeju Provincial Party exploited the excessive response by state authorities against the residents of Jeju Island to lead a reckless armed rebellion, during which many residents who had no ideological connection were unjustly sacrificed by state power and far-right groups."

He continued, "If the Jeju Provincial Party of the South Korean Workers' Party had not carried out Kim Il-sung's policy opposing the May 10 single election by instigating an armed rebellion, so many people would not have been sacrificed. Moreover, the ringleaders of the 4.3 Incident, such as Kim Dal-sam and Go Jin-hee, are buried at the North Korean Patriotic Martyrs Cemetery. North Korean dramas glorifying them can easily be found on YouTube. In other words, North Korea still venerates and treats the ringleaders of the 4.3 Incident as heroes."

Rep. Tae also cited former President Kim Dae-jung's words that "Originally, communists instigated the rebellion, but many innocent people were unjustly killed after being labeled as communists," and said, "I do not understand how disparaging my sincere beliefs and creating controversy could possibly comfort the victims and bereaved families of the 4.3 Incident."

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