Truth Commission Stay Firm on its Stance

The Presidential Truth Commission on Suspicious Deaths - Head Commissioner Hahn Sang-beom – made a formal statement on its stance on July 16, saying, “There is no problem acknowledging the democratizing contribution made by long-term prisoners who were former North Korea spies and refused to convert to South Korea’s ideology.”

The Truth Commission’s announcement was made right after it was found out that some investigators, former spies and former members of the Laborer’s Socialist Alliance in South Korea, had investigated former military commanding officers above the rank of battalion commander, including a former defense minister, during their investigation on suspicious deaths in the military.

Truth Commission Reconfirms Its Stance –

The commission said in its statement titled, “Regarding the Incident Caused by the Decision-making toward a Case in Which a Long-term Prisoner Was Killed While Resisting to Forceful Conversion,” that, “The long-term prisoners, former North Korean spies who refused to convert, have contributed to the country’s foundation of democracy by resisting the forceful conversion in the prison during Korea’s dictatorial regime.” The statement was the first formal one released by the commission regarding the issue.

“All of them have lost their lives during the unlawful coercive conversion regardless of their past record, and this came as a shock to the society,” said the Truth Commission. “The abolition of the conversion process was recommended by the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and Amnesty International, and the acknowledgement of their suspicious deaths does not mean that we are siding with the leftists.”

The commission also added, “The decision by the commission is of quasi-judicial quality, and each commissioner decides as an independent judge. Nobody can supervise, direct, or regulate this.”

Meanwhile, an investigator with a past record of imprisonment for his spying charges requested 11 commanding officers above the rank of battalion commanders, including Lee Jun, former defense minister, to attend in regards to the “Death Case of Private Choi On-soon” and investigated nine out of them. Also, he sent out a request of attendance to Song Young-geun, current Defense Security Commander, five times regarding the case from March to May.

Another investigator, former member of the Laborers’ Socialist Alliance, has questioned Chung Soo-sung, First Army commanding officer in private, regarding the “Death Case of Private First Class Huh Won-geum.”

Reactions of Conservative Organizations and Progressive Organizations –

The rightist groups have all issued statements criticizing the commission after the commission announced their stance in the statement.

Citizens’ Alliance to Stop North Korean Nuclear, Netizens’ Alliance for Democratic Participation, and other organizations held a press conference in front of the commission’s building in Jongro, Seoul at 11 a.m. and claimed, “The president should make an apology to the people in regard to the reckless speech of the Truth Commission.”

Secretary General Cho Joong-geun of the “Citizens’ Council for Righteous Society” said, “It is not proper for a governmental organization to include personalities with anti-regime records when it is supposed to be fair and objective in its activities.”

Meanwhile, progressive organizations such as the “Lawyers for Democratic Society” and the “Human Rights Commission of Catholic Church” have announced a joint statement, saying, “Witch-hunting toward the commission with age-old ‘color’ dispute and mentioning their past records should be stopped immediately.”

Yang-Hwan Jung ray@donga.com