Truth and Reconciliation Commission Delays Truth Verification for Some Victims of 'Yeongcheon Incident'... Internal Conflict Erupts

6 of 21 Victims' Cases Deferred
Ruling Party Appointed Member: "Harming the Nation Through Leftist Activities"
Opposition Appointed Member Walks Out in Protest After Vote

The 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) is experiencing an internal conflict explosion triggered by the 'Gyeongbuk Yeongcheon National Bodo League and Preliminary Arrest Incident.' As the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's activity period is nearing its end, the emergence of conflicts is expected to affect the truth-finding of other cases as well.

Kim Kwang-dong, Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the Past Affairs (Truth and Reconciliation Commission), is attending the 65th Commission meeting held at the Commission in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 31st, saluting the national flag. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the 1st, the day before, the commission held its 65th plenary meeting and recommended a state apology and compensation measures for 15 of the 21 victims of the Yeongcheon incident. However, it decided to postpone truth-finding for 6 victims. It was judged that these 6 victims were not victims of state violence. The Yeongcheon incident occurred immediately after the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, when about 600 members of the Bodo League and persons under surveillance in Yeongcheon, Gyeongbuk, were killed by military and police without a separate trial process on suspicion of cooperating with leftist forces. On the 13th of last month, Kim Gwang-dong, chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, attracted attention by stating at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee audit that "the perpetrators who committed arson and murder with the participation of hostile forces could have been summarily punished under the circumstances at that time."

During the discussion process, conflicts among the commissioners within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission intensified. Initially, five commissioners recommended by the ruling party, including Chairman Kim, expressed an opinion of 'impossibility' of truth-finding for the six victims, but as opposition party commissioners strongly opposed, the opinion was revised to postponement. Nevertheless, three opposition party commissioners opposed the postponement and left the plenary meeting immediately after the vote in protest. According to the Framework Act on Truth and Reconciliation for Past Affairs (Truth and Reconciliation Act), a matter can be resolved if a majority of the total commissioners agree.

The ruling party commissioners viewed that the six victims whose truth-finding was postponed caused enormous damage to the lives and property of the people due to leftist activities according to records, making it difficult to recognize them as victims of state violence. According to police documents titled 'Investigation Sheet on Anti-Communist Personal Threats' and 'Identity Record Manual' prepared in 1979 and 1981 respectively, these six were recorded as having committed murder or arson. Lee Ok-nam, a standing commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended by the ruling party, said, "All six were found in police records to have engaged in past leftist activities while also murdering our citizens," adding, "This judgment was made considering unclear points such as witness statements."

On the other hand, opposition party commissioners argued that the police records at the time could not be trusted. These records were created 30 years after the incident and were documents originally made to cover up police mistakes. Lee Sang-hoon, a standing commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended by the opposition party, said, "The records created at that time served as grounds for surveilling the bereaved families of the Yeongcheon incident," adding, "It is a state institution, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, that did not recognize victims of state violence without trial based on unreliable records."

Members of organizations participating in the Solidarity Conference of National Democratic Martyrs and Victims Memorial Organizations held a rally on the afternoon of the 31st in front of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the Past Affairs Settlement (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) in Jung-gu, Seoul, urging the investigation of suspicious deaths.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Conflicts within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission have deepened this year. In May, when the commission decided to dismiss the investigation initiation of the Vietnam Ha My Village massacre case, conflicts between ruling and opposition party commissioners surfaced. At that time, four ruling party commissioners voted in favor of dismissal, and three opposition party commissioners opposed, marking the first voting case since the 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission's decision to initiate investigations. After the dismissal decision, during the 2nd term press conference on investigation initiation, Commissioner Lee Sang-hoon criticized, "The current government's tendency to avoid past issues influenced the dismissal decision," to which Chairman Kim responded, "War crimes committed against foreigners overseas are outside the scope of investigation under the Truth and Reconciliation Act."

With little time left in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's operation period, case handling remains sluggish. According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 2023 first half report, as of June 30, 20,146 cases were received, but only 7,330 cases were processed, resulting in a processing rate of 36.4%. The commission's activity period expires on May 26 next year. A commission official said, "The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is experiencing a shortage of personnel related to investigations," adding, "Intensifying conflicts will harm the atmosphere that allows focusing on conducting investigations."

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