Jeonnam Province Welcomes Full Amendment of Past Incidents Act Passed by National Assembly... Accelerates Truth-Finding Efforts

Third Truth and Reconciliation Commission to Launch in February
Foundation Laid for Victim Compensation and Redress
Jeonnam, a Key Region of Civilian Casualties
Further Truth-Finding and Restoration of Honor Anticipated

Logo of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Provided by Jeonnam Province

Jeonnam Province has welcomed the passage of the full amendment to the “Framework Act on Clearing Up Past Incidents for Truth and Reconciliation” (Past Incidents Act) by the National Assembly plenary session. The province also assessed that the launch of the third Truth and Reconciliation Commission marks an institutional turning point, enabling the resumption of procedures to uncover the truth about state violence and human rights violations.

According to Jeonnam Province on January 31, this amendment to the Past Incidents Act is significant in that it opens a path for institutional recovery for victims and bereaved families who have suffered from state violence and human rights abuses, and provides an opportunity to re-examine historical truths that have been distorted or buried.

In particular, it is evaluated that an institutional turning point has been established for past incidents where sufficient truth-finding and restoration of honor were not achieved due to institutional limitations, enabling further procedures for uncovering the truth and restoring victims.

Jeonnam Province has been a major site of past incidents, including civilian casualties before and after the Korean War, and is a region where countless residents have endured unjust suffering for many years.

With this legal amendment, the province expects that the process of uncovering the truth, restoring victims, and restoring honor regarding unresolved local historical incidents will be carried out in a more systematic and effective manner.

Jeonnam Province has continuously promoted activities such as fact-finding surveys and truth-finding regarding civilian victims, restoration of honor for victims and bereaved families, oral history collection, and memorial projects.

Going forward, the province plans to closely cooperate with the government, the National Assembly, and the third Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which is scheduled to launch in February, to ensure the amended Past Incidents Act is faithfully implemented in the field.

Go Mikyung, Director of the Autonomous Administration Bureau of Jeonnam Province, stated, “This amendment marks an opportunity for the state to institutionally confront the pain of victims and bereaved families who, for decades, could not cross the threshold of truth-finding. We will do our utmost to provide administrative support so that the third Truth and Reconciliation Commission can be launched swiftly and stably, and can faithfully carry out the remaining tasks of uncovering the truth about past incidents.”

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