Yoon Agrees to 1-Year Extension of Truth and Reconciliation Commission Investigation Period

Essential from the Perspective of National Legitimacy and 국민통합

President Yoon Suk-yeol agreed on the 22nd to extend the activity period of the 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Past Affairs (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) by one year. This decision was made to ensure that investigations into the truth regarding citizens who either devoted themselves to the country or suffered unjust harm during past historical periods such as the Japanese colonial era and the Korean War are properly conducted.

Hwang Sang-moo, Senior Secretary for Civil Society at the Presidential Office, explained this during a briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon. The 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission began its truth-finding investigations on May 27, 2021. The legal investigation period was three years, so its activities were scheduled to expire on May 26 of this year.

However, as of December 31 last year, the commission had completed only 10,346 out of a total of 20,245 cases to be processed. There are still 9,899 cases (48.9%) under investigation, raising concerns about the need to extend the commission’s activity period.

Senior Secretary Hwang stated, "We have been conducting truth-finding investigations into anti-Japanese independence movements during the Japanese colonial period, civilian casualties around the Korean War, and human rights violations caused by unjust exercise of public authority. Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a temporary independent organization, and its investigation period expires on May 26 this year, we judged that it would be impossible to complete investigations of all submitted cases within the current timeframe. Therefore, based on the law, we reported the necessity of extending the investigation period to President Yoon."

According to Senior Secretary Hwang, President Yoon sympathized with the extension on the grounds that pursuing truth-finding activities to restore honor and provide relief to victims is essential not only for establishing national legitimacy but also for national unity toward the future.

Kim Kwang-dong, Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, has instructed that the agenda to extend the investigation period by one year be submitted at the commission meeting scheduled for the afternoon of the 23rd.

The Presidential Office expects that extending the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s activity period by one year will allow most of the submitted cases to be investigated.

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