INVESTIGATION ON YEOSU-SUNCHEON REBELLION

[Anchor Lead]

The government has reached the first decision regarding the recognition of 45 victims of the Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion, which happened 74 years ago. It was one of the tragic incidents in Korea's modern history. It's the first decision to be reached by a committee dedicated to investigating the incident. Now that a full-fledged investigation has been launched, more victims will likely be found.

[Pkg]

In October 1948, some members of a military unit stationed in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do Province, staged a rebellion by refusing to obey the government order on the Jeju Uprising. In November of the same year, Kwon Jong-kook lost his father even before he was born.

[Soundbite] Kwon Jong-kook(Bereaved family of Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion) : "As a child, I was wondering why everyone else had a mother and a father, but I didn't."

As rebels and riot troops occupied the village alternatively, Kwon's father was detained by police for allegedly assisting the rebels. He was later killed along with 50 other villagers. Growing up, Kwon was often disparaged for having a single parent.

[Soundbite] Kwon Jong-kook(Bereaved family of Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion) : "At the time, they treated them as rebels."

Over the past two decades, Kwon has participated in a campaign demanding an investigation into the incident and restoring victims' honor. His father has been finally recognized as a victim of the Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion, while Kwon himself was officially listed as his bereaved family.

[Soundbite] Kwon Jong-kook(Bereaved family of Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion) : "Now I can go visit my father's grave and tell him he can rest in peace."

The government has held a meeting of the Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion honor restoration committee where a list of 45 victims and 214 bereaved family members was put together. The victims were recognized by the government for the first time since the incident happened 74 years ago.

[Soundbite] Ju Chul-hee(Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion Investigation Committee) : "The first acknowledgement of victims is quite meaningful. The Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion victims' honor will be restored from now on."

So far, reports on 3,200 victims have been received nationwide. The committee investigating the incident will continue receiving reports through early 2023, and will launch a two-year investigation into the incident this month in a joint effort with local governments to restore the victims' honor.