Inaugural address by Kim Jong-min, the 9th director of the Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation
Dear Survivors and Families of the April 3rd Incident, and fellow residents of Jeju Island,
I assumed the role of the 9th Chairman of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Foundation and concurrently became the first resident Chairman under the Jeju Special Self-Governing Ordinance on March 11th.
I am burdened with a heavy responsibility, but I will faithfully fulfill the role of the first resident chairman based on the achievements of my predecessors.
I have set a vision and goals to establish the history of April 3rd and to spread the values of peace, human rights, and justice. I would like to share with you some plans and commitments to achieve these goals.
First, I will strive tirelessly for the clarification of the truth of April 3rd so that victims and their families can restore their honor. I will thoroughly investigate further and cooperate actively in the retrial cases to ensure judicial justice.
Second, I will dedicate efforts to commemorate the victims and console their families. I will take the lead in correcting distorted family registers due to April 3rd. Correcting family registers is an important humanitarian issue for families to find their identities. Additionally, I will refurbish the cold, impersonal “missing” gravestones into symbols of warm consolation.
Third, I will pay special attention to projects for the generational succession of April 3rd. Starting this year, I will establish an “Advanced Course of April 3rd Academy” to foster experts in April 3rd, and support research and publications related to April 3rd.
Fourth, I will work towards the nationalization of April 3rd by signing MOUs with local educational offices and attracting school trip groups to provide April 3rd educational content. I will simultaneously achieve the goals of nationalization and generational succession of April 3rd.
Fifth, I intend to promote April 3rd internationally by signing MOUs with international peace and human rights organizations and hosting joint events. I will also build a cooperative network with Korean studies professors worldwide and translate and publish April 3rd-related books in foreign languages to lay the foundation for the globalization of April 3rd.
Sixth, I will beautify the April 3rd Peace Park into a beautiful and tranquil place. I will plant many trees native to Jeju, such as mokkusinang, and create spaces under their shade with benches where people can quietly read books. I will ensure that young mothers can stroll through the park holding their children’s hands or rest with their babies in strollers.
Seventh, I will practice responsible management by executing transparent and fair budgeting and personnel management, and enhancing organizational capacity by raising the professionalism of our staff.
Furthermore, I have many dreams. One of them is to make Jeju a true “sanctuary of peace and human rights” and to establish a UN Peace and Human Rights University. I will steadily work towards these dreams, avoiding the futile greed to achieve them during my tenure as Chairman. I will strive to lay the groundwork so that these dreams can be realized by the 100th anniversary of April 3rd in 24 years.
To make these plans a reality, I earnestly need your support. Please do not hesitate to provide your support, encouragement, advice, and criticism for the Jeju April 3rd Peace Foundation.
My mentor once said, “Live not in reality, but in history,” which has become the motto of my life. As Chairman of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Foundation, I will endeavor to ensure that the initiatives and achievements during my tenure will become a proud history in the future.
I wish you and your families perpetual peace and tranquility.
Thank you.