Syngman Rhee Ordered Jeju April 3 Mass Killings

The National Commission on the Jeju April 3 Incident, chaired by Prime Minister Goh Kun, indicated that Syngman Rhee was the main figure responsible for the mass killings in Jeju Island from 1948.

According to a report released by the commission, the Syngman Rhee government ordered severe suppression of communist forces and he cannot avoid accountability for the incident.

The report says the then president Rhee declared martial law and that at a cabinet meeting in January 1949, he ordered suppression saying the need of rooting out communist forces in Jeju and South Jeolla Province to facilitate U.S. aid. "We should demonstrate respect for the law by harshly oppressing rebels, thieves and wicked forces in provincial areas," Rhee was quoted as saying.

The report also points out that the then U.S. military administration and the then U.S. military advisory group are also responsible for the mass killings. According to the report, a U.S. colonel directed the crackdown operations and he evaluated the 9th regiment`s operation on a mountain village that caused mass civilian casualties as a success.

According to the report, some say that Rhee`s declaring April 3 martial law was illegal because the law on declaring martial law was actually enacted later. On the other hand, some see the April 3 martial law as legitimate because the martial law declared by the Japanese government was still effective then. However, the report notes that regardless of the legitimacy of the martial law, the martial law was enforced outside legal framework.

The Commission on Jeju April 3 Incident posted the 582-page report at its homepage (www. Jeju43.go.kr ) and decided to accept more information until September 28.

The report says that 25,000-30,000 people, including civilians, are estimated to have been killed in the incident.

Dong-Ki Sung esprit@donga.com