South Korea Admits Civilian Killings During The Korean War

Aftermath of a Korean War massacre. Photo from Rewind the Fifties

From The New York Times:

SEOUL, South Korea — In the opening months of the Korean War, the South Korean military and the police executed at least 4,900 civilians who had earlier signed up — often under force — for re-education classes meant to turn them against Communism, the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission announced Thursday.

The government killed the civilians out of fear that they would help the Communists who were invading from the north and forcing South Korean and American forces into retreat during the first desperate weeks of the war, the commission said.

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My Comment: My Godfather served in the United Nations during this conflict. His job was to enter people's homes/businesses and search for valuables when UN/South Korean forces were abandoning towns and cities. He was usually a half hour ahead of the approaching North Korean/Chinese military.

From his experience, it was very rare that civilians were killed by retreating UN/South Korean forces. In fact, he knows of no situations in which civilians were executed on the spot .... but 5,000 civilians .... he has doubts on the evidence that the Truth Commissions reports are based on.

As to what is my take .... 2 million people died in this conflict, and as the above picture attests .... massacres and murder probably happened in many instances. So is my Godfather wrong .... probably not because he was simple not exposed to this side of the conflict, and besides .... he only got involved in the latter half of the war. But this is still an area of investigation that the South Korean Government should continue .... and with time .... with a change of Government .... there will be a day when the North Koreans will also have their own "Truth Commission".