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Prime minister pledges to shed light on history
written by: Kang Kap-saeng, 04-Apr-05
 | | Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan |
April 04, 2005 - For the 57th anniversary of the April 3 Jeju massacre, Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan said yesterday that the administration would not ignore the wrongdoing of past governments and make further efforts to apologize and honor victims.
Mr. Lee flew to Jeju yesterday to join a memorial service for those killed during a massacre that began April 3, 1948.
In one of the most tragic episodes in modern Korean history, as many as 30,000 people were killed during clashes with police. The Jeju people at the time opposed then-President Syngman Rhee's move to create a separate southern regime, which led to violence.
Those who died had been regarded as communists. Some took a view that killing them was justifiable. But a historic truth commission under presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun found out that the incident was a massacre by the government, and Mr. Roh offered the first official apology in 2003.
"The administration will find out the truth about the past government's wrongful acts and redress them," Mr. Lee said yesterday.
Mr. Lee also said he would urge other countries to "find out and keep conscience and truth in history."
Published in: Joong Ang Daily
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