Truth and Reconciliation Commission Dismisses Investigation into Vietnamese Civilian Massacre... Opposite Ruling to Court

The Court Previously Recognized State Responsibility

The 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) has decided not to investigate the civilian massacre during the Vietnam War. Although the court has already recognized the state's responsibility, the national agency dealing with past affairs has made a completely opposite decision.

Kim Kwang-dong, Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission [Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 24th, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission held its 55th plenary session at around 1:30 PM and dismissed the proposal to initiate an investigation into the 'Vietnam War Ha My Massacre.'

The Ha My Massacre refers to the incident in February 1968 when the South Korean military indiscriminately killed 135 people in Ha My village, Dien Ban district, Dien Phu ward, Quang Nam province, Vietnam. At that time, soldiers are known to have collectively slaughtered Vietnamese civilians, mostly elderly, children, and women, and desecrated the bodies with bulldozers.

In April last year, five victims and bereaved families of the Ha My Massacre requested the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to start an investigation and applied for truth verification. Subsequently, civic groups such as the 'Civil Society Network for the Just Resolution of Vietnam War Issues' urged the commencement of the investigation for over a year, but it was ultimately rejected.

This decision by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is expected to cause controversy as it contradicts the court's ruling. On February 7, Judge Park Jin-su of the Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 68 ruled in favor of Nguyen Thi Tan (63), a victim of the 'Vietnam War Phong Nhi Massacre,' in a damages lawsuit against the South Korean government.

The court recognized that "soldiers belonging to the 1st Company of the 2nd Marine Brigade (Cheongryong Unit) of the South Korean Marines fired shots at the plaintiff's family during Operation No. 1, and forcibly gathered the plaintiff's mother along with others in one place before shooting them," stating that "such acts constitute clear illegal conduct."

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