Mass Child Burial Confirmed in 'Seongam Hakwon Incident'... 210 Teeth Discovered

At the site of the 'Seongam Academy Incident,' where children's human rights were violated, a mass secret burial of children was confirmed. Analysis of recovered remains such as teeth indicated that children estimated to be between 12 and 15 years old were buried in temporary mass graves.

On the 25th, the 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the Past (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) announced at a briefing held at 11 a.m. in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, that about 40 graves were excavated, recovering 210 teeth and 27 relics including buttons. This excavation was conducted as part of an on-site investigation ahead of the second truth verification of the Seongam Academy Incident scheduled for the end of this year. The excavated remains will be enshrined at the Sejong Memorial House.

Teeth were recovered from 13 graves, and relics were recovered from 8 graves. Six graves contained both teeth and relics. The most teeth, 29 pieces, were recovered from grave No. 140. Grave No. 6 yielded the most relics, including 25 teeth, 4 metal ring buttons, and 4 metal snap buttons. Grave No. 4 contained 21 teeth and a fabric strap about 40 cm long, presumed to have been used as a child's belt. Most graves measured 110 to 150 cm in size and less than 50 cm in depth, suggesting that small-bodied children were buried in temporary mass graves.

Professor Park Seon-ju, an emeritus professor at Chungbuk National University who was in charge of the forensic analysis, said, "Based on the analysis of the teeth recovered so far, the development and wear of the crown, the upper part of the tooth, suggest an age estimate of 12 to 15 years old." He added, "This matches the small mounds presumed to be children's graves, but the corrosion of the upper part of the teeth found in the 2016 and last year's excavations has worsened, raising concerns that the traces may disappear completely in a few years."

Some graves did not yield teeth or other remains. This is analyzed to be due to the young age of the Seongam Academy children, ranging from 7 to 18 years old, and the fact that at least 40 years have passed since the secret burial. Additionally, the high soil acidity, humid environment, and the temporary burial form also contributed. Kim Young-bae, chairman of the Seongam Academy Child Victims Countermeasure Council, said, "After observing the trial excavations twice last year and this year, the traces of teeth, which are the remains that can still be identified, are increasingly weathered and corroded." He urged, "We urgently request that the national and local governments promptly take action to conduct a comprehensive excavation of remains throughout the Seongam Academy area based on this trial excavation."

Seongam Academy was a child detention facility established in 1942 by the Japanese colonial government to gather urban poor children in one place for reformation. This facility continued to operate under the leadership of the state and Gyeonggi Province until 1982 after liberation. According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a total of 4,689 detention records have been confirmed to date. Officially recorded deaths number only 24. In January last year, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recovered 68 teeth and 7 relics including buttons from five graves during the first trial excavation.