South Korea Returns Remains of Jeju Massacre Victims to Families, Decades After Killings
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea (AP) — After more than seven decades of uncertainty and grief, seven sets of remains belonging to victims of the Jeju Massacre were returned to their families on Tuesday, marking a somber but significant step toward closure for a dark chapter in South Korea’s history. The return took place on the resort island of Jeju, where the brutal suppression of a communist-led uprising in the late 1940s and early 1950s left an estimated 30,000 civilians dead – roughly one-third of the island’s population at the time.
The remains arrived at Jeju International Airport, greeted by Jeju Governor Oh Young-hoon, representatives from Jeju Massacre foundations, and, most importantly, the families who had long awaited answers about the fate of their loved ones.
“I pray for the repose of the seven victims who had to lie without names for so many years, and I offer my words of comfort to the families who endured time without knowing the fate of their loved ones,” Governor Oh said in a memorial address.
The Jeju Massacre, also known as the 4.3 Incident, stemmed from growing social unrest following Japan’s colonial rule and the subsequent division of Korea. A communist-led uprising was violently crushed by the South Korean government and its allies, resulting in widespread killings, torture, and the destruction of villages. The scale of the violence was largely unacknowledged for decades, contributing to a legacy of trauma and silence.
The identified victims include Kim Sa-rim, 25, a refugee captured in 1949; Yang Dal-hyo, 26, a farmer who disappeared in 1948 after being detained; and Kang Du-nam, 24, last seen in 1948 while seeking refuge on Mount Halla. Im Tae-hoon, 20, and Song Du-seon, 29, were identified through remains excavated from the Gyeongsan Cobalt Mine, where prisoners were executed as the Korean War erupted. Song Tae-woo, 17, and Kang In-gyeong, 46, were identified from remains found at Jeju International Airport, a site where hundreds were executed and buried in mass graves.
The identification process, spearheaded by the Jeju government and the Jeju 4.3 Peace Foundation, relies on DNA analysis, matching samples from the excavated remains with blood samples donated by potential relatives. To date, 426 sets of remains have been exhumed, with 387 found at the airport site alone. Remarkably, the foundation reports that over 2,600 people have voluntarily donated blood samples to aid in the identification efforts. The use of collateral relatives’ DNA, such as nephews and grandsons, has proven crucial in several cases.
“We have finally found our family member who was sacrificed without any crime,” said Kang Jun-ho, the grandson of Song Du-seon, echoing the sentiments of many families. “It is very late, but I am thankful that he has regained his name.” He added, in the Jeju dialect, “Grandfather, you’ve come home. Rest easy now.”
Yang Gye-chun, son of Yang Dal-hyo, expressed a similar sense of relief, stating, “I met my father for the first time in 79 years… Now that he has come all the way back to his hometown of Jeju, I hope we may meet my mother in heaven and rest peacefully.”
The ongoing efforts to identify the victims are not merely a historical exercise; they represent a crucial step toward national reconciliation and healing. The Jeju 4.3 Peace Park, with its Cemetery of the Missing containing nearly 4,000 tombstones, stands as a poignant reminder of the enduring pain and the importance of remembering this tragic period.
The Jeju provincial government has pledged to continue its efforts to locate and identify all remaining victims. A new blood sampling drive is currently underway at Halla Hospital and Yeollin Hospital on Jeju Island, encouraging more residents to participate in the identification program. The government views this as a moral imperative, recognizing the profound impact of the massacre on the island’s collective memory and the need to provide closure for the families who have waited decades for answers.
