Perpetrators of State Violence and Anti-Constitutional Acts to Have Government Awards Revoked... Retrial Acquittal Cases to Be Reviewed First

Ministry of the Interior and Safety to Conduct Thorough Review of Inappropriate Government Awards
Consideration of Cancellation for Cases Involving Major Accidents and Public Controversy
Dedicated Task Force, Advisory Group, and Inter-Ministerial Council to Be Established

The government will conduct a comprehensive review of inappropriate government awards that have been granted to perpetrators of state violence or individuals involved in anti-constitutional acts. Those who have received awards despite being involved in major industrial accidents or human rights violations at group facilities—cases that have sparked significant societal controversy—will also be prioritized for review.

Kim Youngsoo, Administrative Officer at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is explaining the main directions and detailed tasks regarding the 'Comprehensive Review of Government Awards' at the policy briefing held on the morning of the 13th in the Central Building briefing room of the Government Sejong Complex to attending reporters. Provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as the government’s overall authority on honors and decorations, announced on April 13 that it will take a leading role in ensuring that all recommending agencies thoroughly re-examine inappropriate government awards and initiate cancellation procedures where necessary.

Until now, the cancellation of government awards has typically been initiated at the request of recommending agencies. However, regarding historical issues, a passive attitude among some agencies has meant that public expectations have not always been met.

The Ministry stated that it will proactively identify cases of acquittal in retrials related to past state violence, such as torture or fabricated espionage cases, and will encourage relevant agencies to review the possibility of cancellation.

The Ministry also plans to consult with related organizations, such as the Ministry of Justice—which manages the status of retrial lawsuits—and to monitor and manage the ongoing comprehensive investigations into past government awards being carried out by the National Police Agency and the National Intelligence Service.

Last month, in cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety canceled military medals and other honors awarded to ten individuals involved in anti-constitutional crimes, such as the 12·12 military coup, on the grounds that their achievements were “fabricated.” The Ministry plans to continue working with relevant agencies to identify additional cases for cancellation.

At the same time, the Ministry will request that recommending agencies examine whether incidents involving major industrial accidents or human rights violations—various events that have caused public concern—meet the criteria for cancellation under the Decorations Act and, if so, to initiate cancellation procedures.

Post-cancellation management of revoked awards will also be strengthened. Of the 791 government awards canceled from the first cancellation in 1985 up until last year, only 260 have been recovered, resulting in a recovery rate of just 32.9 percent.

To address this, the Ministry will re-examine cases that were not recovered due to reasons such as unknown addresses or loss of contact, and will proceed with further recovery efforts. In addition, the Ministry plans to devise measures to publicly disclose reasons for cancellation within an appropriate scope, taking into account the public’s right to know, individual privacy protections, and the overall honor associated with government awards.

Within the Ministry, a dedicated task force (TF) for cancellation of government awards, an expert advisory group, and an inter-ministerial meeting of honors officials will be formed. The TF and advisory group will be responsible for providing necessary materials and guidance on cancellation procedures to each recommending agency, and will also offer consultation on cancellation reviews upon request from those agencies.

Furthermore, inter-ministerial meetings chaired by the Director-General of Protocol at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety—with participation from honors officials from various ministries—will be convened to share cases of cancellation discovered by each ministry and to discuss challenges and solutions encountered during the process.

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojoong stated, "The cancellation of government awards for those involved in past state violence and anti-constitutional acts is a duty that the state must fulfill," adding, "The government will continue to thoroughly identify and revoke all inappropriate government awards so that every citizen can take pride in the system of honors."

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