A memorial ceremony was held on April 3, as is the case every year. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Jeju 4·3. The venue, which participants had been allowed to enter only on a restricted basis during the pandemic, was filled with victims’ families and Jeju residents for the first time in three years. However, neither the President nor the ruling party leader attended the ceremony. On the President’s behalf, the Prime Minister read a brief speech which strangely bristled with promises to support the attraction of cultural tourism and digital businesses to Jeju, and those in attendance were bewildered by the content of the speech that differed from the purpose of the memorial event. Words of consolation were offered through clichés to the bereaved families and other Jeju residents who survived the tragic history. During the speech, lamentations were even heard from among those in the audience, with murmurs of disappointment. It was even more chaotic outside the venue because some of the self-proclaimed members of the Northwest Youth League band, who purport themselves to be devoted to the salvation of the nation, caused a disturbance. In various ways, the memorial ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of Jeju 4·3 was a mess.

 

 

On the afternoon of April 3, former President Moon Jae-in and his wife visited the memorial altar and paid their respects.

On April 3, former President Moon Jae-in and former First Lady Kim Jung-sook visited the Jeju 4·3 Peace Park to pay tribute to the victims of Jeju 4·3. This is the first time a former president has visited the park on the memorial day. Moon also left a comment about agitation of the Jeju 4·3 movement, which has been attempted by conservative groups that distort what was discovered through the investigation of the truth about Jeju 4·3. “It is very deplorable and heartbreaking that some still insult the victims even amid the government’s strenuous efforts to resolve Jeju 4·3,” he stated. He also expressed his determination to stand with the Jeju people with his heart and soul until the wounds and scars which are left are completely healed.

 

 

Remarks by President Yoon Suk-yeol at the 75th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony in Honor of Jeju 4·3 Victims

We will do our utmost to restore honor to the Jeju 4·3 victims and their families, mindful of the pain and agony that the surviving victims suffered.

My fellow citizens, surviving victims of Jeju 4·3, families of the deceased victims, and Jeju residents,

The Republic of Korea is a free, democratic country.

Undoubtedly, a liberal democratic country that values freedom and human rights legitimately should pay respects to the innocent victims of Jeju 4·3 and to work with the citizens to soothe the torment of the bereaved families with the people.

We will do our utmost to restore honor to the Jeju 4·3 victims and their families, mindful of the pain and agony that the surviving victims suffered.

The way to truly honor the victims and their bereaved families is to create a Republic of Korea where freedom and human rights bloom, and to achieve greater prosperity here in Jeju based on the universal value of the spirit of liberal democracy.

The responsibility lies with me, the government, and my fellow citizens.

Previously, I vowed to transform Jeju into a cultural tourism destination with magnificent nature, culture, and history, which would be South Korea’s jewel-like province where clean nature and cutting-edge technology coexist.

We will spare no support from the government so that it can be reborn as a classy cultural tourism destination where not only Koreans but also people from around the world can broaden their knowledge.

Today’s era is the era of content. We will actively encourage top digital companies specializing in information technologies and semiconductor design to make achievements in Jeju and attract talented personnel from around the world to the province.

Surviving victims of Jeju 4·3, families of the deceased victims, and Jeju residents,

My promise to be united with the whole nation to warmly embrace the souls of the innocent victims remains unchanged.

We will make our best efforts to work with you to usher Jeju into a new future by sublimating the values of freedom and human rights that you have cherished.

I pray for the rest of the victims, and I also offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families.

 

April 3, 2023

Yoon Suk-yeol, President of the Republic of Korea

 

 

 

 

 

Remarks by Governor Oh Young-hoon at the 75th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony in Honor of Jeju 4·3 Victims

We will not be swayed by attempts to disparage or distort the truth of Jeju 4·3, but will expand the spirit of “reconciliation, mutual prosperity, peace and human rights” into the universal values for humanity.

Respectful surviving victims of Jeju 4·3, families of the deceased victims, and my beloved Jeju residents and compatriots,

Today marks the 75th anniversary of Jeju 4·3.

The tragic event in contemporary Korean history has become the standard for rectifying the dark past, and is now moving toward a new future of reconciliation and co-prosperity, overcoming the painful history.

The first state compensation for Jeju 4·3 victims made last year was a turning point in resolving the nation’s past history issues. The exoneration of victims through ex-officio retrials has been significant in that the judiciary took the lead in redressing the nation’s past wrongdoings. Continued efforts are also being made to correct inaccurately recorded family relations registers. I would like to thank the bereaved families and Jeju residents who never gave up truth and justice and all those who comforted and accompanied us in healing our pain so that we could welcome the “spring of Jeju 4·3.”

My respected fellow citizens,

We should now go beyond the outdated ideological framework and create a brilliant future for the Republic of Korea.

Jeju will become the spearhead for the Jeju 4·3 spirit of reconciliation and mutual prosperity pursued by peace-loving Koreans to brighten the beacon of hope for the world. In the era where peace is more urgent than ever, we will stand in the vanguard of peace for the global village by establishing the “Global Peace Cities Solidarity” institution with cities in the Asia-Pacific region.

The efforts will begin with the globalization of the Jeju 4·3 model, the world’s unprecedented best-practice case of resolving past history issues. We will push forward the inscription of the documentary heritage related to Jeju 4·3 on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, while opening the “road to peace’ by completing the Peace and Human Rights Charter and the Trauma Indicators.

As a historic establishment of academia, we will open master’s and doctoral degree programs in Jeju 4·3 studies at local universities. We will also share the values of Jeju 4·3 at the Jeju Forum that is slated to be held in May, drawing solidarity from like-minded others.

Above all, we will not be swayed by attempts to disparage or distort the truth of Jeju 4·3, but will expand the spirit of “reconciliation, mutual prosperity, peace and human rights” into the universal values for humanity.

Please join us on our vigorous journey to become one of the axes of world peace. In April, when every mountain and stream is covered with fresh greenery, I think of those who closed their eyes against their will with their loved ones left behind. We, their descendants, will achieve peace and prosperity on this land, which the deceased victims hoped for.

May the souls of the victims rest in peace, letting go of unresolved sorrow and resentment. Thank you.

 

April 3, 2023

Oh Young-hoon, Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

New memorial projects

for the 75th anniversary of Jeju 4·3

 

[Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation]

Jeju 4·3 Film Festival

Marking the 75th anniversary of Jeju 4·3, the Jeju 4·3 Film Festival will be launched this year to reflect on the importance of peace and human rights through the genre of movies. The festival will offer a special screening event where the viewers can laugh and mourn together while watching films on Jeju 4·3, human rights, and peace. A planning committee has been created to accelerate the selection of works considering the characteristics of diverse viewers, including Jeju 4·3 victims’ families, teenagers, college students, and ordinary residents. Starting in April, up to three films will be screened every month. The festival will also arrange events for communication such as talks with the viewers to share their impressions of the films.

 

Jeju 4·3 Game Development

A unique history class will be offered through a PC or smartphone game. The Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation is working with school teachers across the country to develop an educational game on Jeju 4·3. It will feature a history education game targeting not only elementary, middle, and high school students but also adults such as teachers and parents. Players will solve quizzes while walking around the Jeju 4·3 Peace Memorial Hall and the Jeju 4·3 Peace Park. Available both online and offline (through site visits), users can enjoy the game depending on the context of the exhibit. To learn history playfully, the game has been developed by Lee Hae-jung (chairman of the Jeju 4·3 Game Development Committee) and nine teachers from outside Jeju with experience in developing history games, in collaboration with five teachers from Jeju Province. The game is scheduled to be released in March.

 

Expansion of the on-site healing project

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation will expand the Eup, Myeon, and Dong On-Site Healing Project, a provincial project to heal the trauma of Jeju 4·3 victims and families and restore the communal spirit of residents.

As part of the project, specialists visit those victims and bereaved families who have difficulties accessing the Jeju 4·3 Trauma Center. The professional staff help heal their trauma and improve the quality of their lives by offering counseling services, music and horticulture therapies, and storytelling performances. In 2022, a total of 15 on-site programs were held, with 594 residents joining. This year six staff members will be hired for those with accessibility issues due to disabilities or a lack of public transportation. The cases of participants unable to access the programs will continue to be monitored and managed.

 

[Association of the Bereaved Families of Jeju 4·3]

Podcast by Jeju 4·3 Victims’ Families

The Association of the Bereaved Families of Jeju 4·3 will produce and operate a podcast as a new channel for communication, without insisting on formalities. A variety of shows will be aired featuring the testimonies of victims’ families, interviews with experts, policy introductions, and field trips. The shows are being produced to target all citizens who are interested in Jeju 4·3, including Jeju residents and victims’ families. The organizers plan to expand to a global audience by producing content in foreign languages.

 

[Jeju 4·3 Memorial Project Committee]

Peace Walk for the Next Generations

Establishment of a youth network connecting historical issues in the past

Pilot virtual reality content of ‘Over the Ocean’ to be released

The Jeju 4·3 Memorial Project Committee consists of 49 civic groups, including Jeju 4·3-related organizations and other civil society organizations.

In addition to running the current Jeju 4·3 Peace Walk program, the committee will work with the Roh Moo Hyun Foundation to launch the Peace Walk for the Next Generations, which is open to young Japanese participants. The project has been promoted for the purpose of raising national and international public awareness of Jeju 4·3.

The committee will also form a partnership with the Student Union of Jeju National University to establish a youth network connecting historical issues in the past such as Jeju 4·3, the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, and the Yeo-Sun Incident.

Based on the investigation of Jeju 4·3 historical sites in the regions outside of Jeju, the committee will release a pilot of virtual reality content called “Over the Ocean” and promote the use of the Jeju 4·3 app.

To raise international awareness of Jeju 4·3, the committee will urge the National Assembly to adopt a resolution to call for international solutions to Jeju 4·3, including the clarification of the U.S. Army Military Government’s responsibility in it. Within the same context, efforts will be made to invigorate the Jeju 4·3 International Network for Truth and Justice. The committee will also invite foreign journalists to inform the world about Jeju 4·3.

Activities to address the domestic political issues will be carried out, such as working for the revision of the Jeju 4·3 Special Act and pressing the provincial council to set up an information board at the memorial monument for Park Jin-kyeong [commander of the 9th Regiment of the National Defense Guard assassinated by members of his corps who were against his brutal hardline crackdowns]. Additionally, the committee will give a lecture on the topic of “National Unification in Jeju 4·3” and work with other institutes to shift the 70-year-old Korean War Armistice Agreement to a Peace Treaty.

 

From Generation to Generation: “Pellong Pellong Pyeonghwa Garam” – Seogwipo Girls’ Middle School Jeju 4·3 Club

“Stream sparkling with peace”

runs towards reconciliation and peace

Written and photographed by Kim Eun-kyeong, teacher at Nohyeong Middle School (former teacher at Seogwipo Girls’ Middle School)

‘Pellong Pellong Pyeonghwa Garam,‘ Seogwipo Girls’ Middle School Jeju 4·3 Club

Next to Seogwipo Girls’ Middle School flows a small stream. Seogwipo Girls’ Middle School students are called “Seulgaramin” to represent in [a person or people] having seul [shortened from seulgi meaning wisdom] that is believed to flow in that garam [stream]. A few years ago, the school started a campaign to arouse teenagers’ empathy for peace, hoping to help promote the important values of Jeju 4·3 and peace. With the launch of the campaign, students formed a Jeju 4·3 club and named it “Pellong Pellong Pyeonghwa Garam.” [Pellong is a Jeju word translated to a “sparkling state” in English, while pyeonghwa refers to “peace” in standard Korean]. The name of the club signifies its members’ wish to realize a “stream sparkling with peace.”

Pellong Pellong Pyeonghwa Garam consists of the members of the school’s Student Council. Taking on the campaign, the club decided on the goal of diverting from holding a one-time event in April toward creating an atmosphere where students can empathize with the importance of peace and human rights through a steady encounter with the issues of Jeju 4·3.

Seulgaramin promote peace and human rights valued during the post-Jeju 4·3 efforts for reconciliation

First of all, Pellong Pellong Pyeonghwa Garam launched the April 3 Project with the Student Council Members under the theme of “Seulgaramin promoting peace and human rights valued in Jeju 4·3.” A simple survey was conducted for first-year students who have not taken classes on or related to Jeju 4·3. The respondents rarely answered that they knew nothing about Jeju 4·3. Almost all students had learned about Jeju 4·3 in elementary school. However, there were also not many students who answered that they were well aware of Jeju 4·3. In order to improve students’ understanding, Pellong Pellong Pyeonghwa Garam selected representative keywords of Jeju 4·3 and created “card news” [a Korean news format for social media that visualizes major issues at a glance using images and short sentences].

Next, the club held a slogan contest to create a memorial banner for Jeju 4·3. Students submitted various slogans with catchy phrases such as “Red flowers they shed turned to peace,” “Jeju 4·3, growing into a sprout of democracy and freedom,” and “Let’s hope for smiley Jeju 4·3!” After voting, “Fragrance of camellia flowers spread along the path of reconciliation and peace” was selected as the winner and made into a banner.

A staff member’s review of the campaign

“I remember that the Education and Arts Division of our club, which promoted the slogan contest, carefully prepared the event, from selecting the format of the contest to purchasing the prizes. It was a good opportunity to share students’ thoughts of Jeju 4·3 through short phrases. Some of the slogans were so impressive that I was instantly moved. There were also those that contained bright ideas that I had never thought of. Reading the submitted slogans, I could broaden my narrow perspective of Jeju 4·3. I could learn from other students regardless of their age.”

The winning slogan was also used to create the banner for the school’s “Gathering Everyone’s Camellia Flower,” where students designed a map of Jeju with camellia-shaped memos written with their impressions of a video clip on Jeju 4·3. Another event, titled “Seogwipo Girls’ Middle School Peace Font Contest,” adopted the slogan as well. To commemorate Hangeul Day, the school encouraged students to represent the slogan in artistic handwriting. Using the caligraphy work that won first prize, the school developed its unique Jeju 4·3 font.

 

++ Card news posted on the school’s social media account and in the school’s main lobby

 

Visiting the site of massacres at Jeongbang Waterfall and raising students’ awareness

It turned out that the club members showed more interest in Jeju 4·3 when they learned about their connectivity to the issue and perceived the shared content. Seogwipo Girls’ Middle School students often visit Jeongbang Waterfall and nearby Jaguri Park. However, the survey findings indicated that few students knew what happened at Jeongbang Waterfall at the time of Jeju 4·3 and what makes it an important historical site. Therefore, Pellong Pellong Pyeonghwa Garam carried out activities to recognize Jeongbang Waterfall as a closely located but little-known historical site.

Before visiting the waterfall, the club members conducted research on the history of the nearby area. Through that research, they learned that at the time of Jeju 4·3, there used to be a myeon [district] office, the 2nd Regiment 1st Battalion of the National Defense Guard, the Seogwipo Police Station, and a temporary detention camp around Jeongbang Waterfall. State-led counterinsurgency forces used these facilities as their base and killed more than 250 people at the waterfall, the biggest number of Jeju 4·3 victims in the Seogwipo region. After doing that research, the club members read an article which stated that the construction of a memorial site with a memorial stone was stopped by nearby residents and that a new location was selected. The students were very shocked and saddened to realize that the pain of Jeju 4·3 doesn’t just belong to the past but lingers in the present, as proven in the case of Jeongbang Waterfall.

After completing their preliminary study, the students visited the historical sites around Jeongbang Waterfall with Mr. Oh Soon-myeong, an honorary Jeju 4·3 teacher. The participants listened to the teacher’s personal story, the painful history of Jeongbang Waterfall, and his attitude toward Jeju 4·3, becoming more attached to the waterfall. They also learned in detail about the opposition to the creation of the memorial space, the efforts to establish the space, the process of changing the site, and the location that was finally selected. At the end of the field trip, they asked Mr. Oh what Jeongbang Waterfall meant to him and what message he wanted to convey to the students. The field trip taken accompanied by the knowledgeable teacher enabled a three-dimensional experience of the historical content and articles that used to exist only 2-dimensionally in their heads.

 

++ Application paper for the Seogwipo Girls’ Middle School Peace Font Contest

 

 

A student’s review of the field trip

++ Club members, accompanied by a Jeju 4·3 victim’s family member named Oh Soon-myeong, visit the site of massacres at Jeongbang Waterfall.

“The visit to Jeongbang Waterfall is the most memorable of all the club activities. Even that beautiful Seogwipo tourist attraction was also a site of painful history. The teacher described in detail how innocent residents had been killed at the bottom of the waterfall. Although I was struck with so many different feelings, I found it meaningful that I had time to learn about Jeju’s history, which I had known nothing about. I came to wish that those busily taking pictures of the pleasant waterfall will also learn a piece of Jeju history there, without just casually enjoying the scenery. It was unfortunate that not all Seogwipo Girls Middle School students could join us at the precious event. As a member of the school’s Student Council, I am looking forward to sharing the lessons learned from the trip with my schoolmates.”

 

A student’s review of the field trip released in Collection of Writings on Peace

“According to Mr. Oh Soon-myeong, efforts were made to create a memorial space at Jeongbang Waterfall for those Jeju 4·3 victims who were killed near the waterfall. However, the space has failed to be created because nearby residents and merchants expect it would be an unpleasant site and oppose it with concern for the possible decrease in housing prices and tourists. It is such an outrageous story to know. It is also regrettable that people still have an unfavorable perception of Jeju 4·3. Mr Oh took us to the site that was finally selected for the memorial space (the outdoor space of Seobok Exhibition Hall). He tried not to show his emotions on his face, but I could feel his sadness. The selected site was surrounded by Chinese-style buildings. At the site, we listened to his last comment for the day. He anticipated that we, as students of Jeju Island, would spread the significance of Jeju 4·3. As he made his plea, I made a resolution to promote Jeju 4·3 more widely as a student in Jeju Island. And then, when I looked around again, I could imagine a completely different memorial site which has no bright yellow walls in the Chinese style, but with camellia trees planted instead, and which is visited by many people who honor the victims. I wished that the day would come as soon as possible.”

After the field trip, the students discussed and planned various activities to convey to non-club members what they had felt and learned. First, they produced a video showing the painful history of Jeongbang Waterfall, the field trip to historical sites, the interview with Mr. Oh Soon-myeong, and a litter-pickup campaign around the waterfall.

Next, the students created an art design by combining the winner of the slogan contest with the image of Jeongbang Waterfall. Using the design, a postcard was produced with a QR code for the video of the field trip printed on it. Copies of the postcard were distributed at the school festival and will continue to be used for additional campaign activities.

 

++ Postcard backside design

++ Postcard cover design

++ Collection of Writings on Peace

 

Activities for all students

In order to inform all students of the importance of Jeju 4·3 and peace in a natural manner, the “Class Escape Room” was arranged against the backdrop of Yeongnam-dong, a “lost village” [a settlement of local households that were destroyed or burnt down during Jeju 4·3] in Seogwipo-si. The information related to Jeju 4·3 was not revealed in advance, while inducing the students to learn about it naturally during the game. After all stages were over, the participants were introduced to the detailed story of what happened in Yeongnam-dong during Jeju 4·3.

Students showed great interest in the game from the day the schedule was announced. Those who had been solving problems excitedly and busily became serious and even solemn as they gradually advanced towards the final stage, learning the background of the game. This learning activity was possible because it was planned by our club members, who are also students and understand other students’ minds best.

In collaboration with the School Library Club, a winter literary program was operated with the theme of “Jeju 4·3, Peace, Human rights, and Love.” The participants submitted their original literary works, which were later compiled to publish Collection of Writings on Peace, a literary collection unique to Seogwipo Girls’ Middle School. The program provided an opportunity for students to create their own poems and novels with the theme of “Jeju 4·3, Peace, Human Rights, and Love.”

 

Pellong Pellong Pyeonghwa Garam continues to flow

The club activities during the 2022 school year laid the foundation for promoting the importance of Jeju 4·3 through the invigoration of school campaigns. Instead of holding a month-long event in April, all students were able to remember it continuously throughout the year. Based on the increased interest thanks to the activities of the 2022 school year, I gained confidence to plan more diverse student activities in 2023, such as the “Jeju 4·3 Photo Zone” and the “Golden Bell Contest.” Pellong Pellong Pyeonghwa Garam will continue to flow, just as its name represents.

 

Students’ reviews at the end of the activities

“Through the activities related to Jeju 4·3, I was able to not only learn the historical facts but also closely empathize with the pain of the victims and their bereaved families who experienced Jeju 4·3. It was also a meaningful time to have a deeper understanding of people in other parts of the world where they suffer from many social problems and to think about humble efforts I might make to solve the problems.”

“The club activities attracted the attention of students who knew little about Jeju 4·3 to the historical event. A lot of students felt proud to participate in the campaign. The history of Jeju 4·3 must not be forgotten. We must remember the pain of Jeju. Students should take more interest in Jeju 4·3 and continue to help raise public awareness. The memory of Jeju 4·3 will live on.”

“Throughout the activities, I realized that a broadened sharing of the memory of Jeju 4·3 will help us move one step closer to achieving peace in the future. I was able to think about the precious lessons learned from Jeju 4·3. I hope more students will have a chance to think about Jeju 4·3.”

++ A map of Jeju designed with camellia-shaped memos with messages for reconciliation and peace.