Defense Minister issues first official public apology to city of Gwangju

Posted on : 2018-02-10 16:43 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
The military violently suppressed citizens during the May 1980 Democratization Movement
Minister of National Defense Song Young-moo issues a public apology to the citizens of Gwangju for the actions of the military in suppressing the May 1980 Democratization Movement at the National Defense headquarters building in the Yongsan district of Seoul on Feb. 9.
Minister of National Defense Song Young-moo issues a public apology to the citizens of Gwangju for the actions of the military in suppressing the May 1980 Democratization Movement at the National Defense headquarters building in the Yongsan district of Seoul on Feb. 9.

Minister of National Defense Song Young-moo publicly apologized on Feb. 9 for the military’s armed suppression for the May 1980 Democratization Movement and massacre of citizens in Gwangju. The apology, which was the first ever by a South Korean Minister of National Defense, was welcomed by groups working to remember the incident. Vice Minister Seo Joo-seok also apologized for his 1988 activities on the Defense Security Command’s “511 countermeasures committee” to distort the movement’s history.

“As Minister of National Defense, I wish to offer a sincere apology and consolation to the people of South Korea and Gwangju for the great suffering inflicted on history by our armed forces in the process of the May 18 Democratization Movement 38 years ago,” Song declared on Feb. 9 at the Ministry of National Defense complex.

A senior ministry official said, “Although well over 30 years have passed since the May 18 Democratization Movement, I am not aware of any Minister of National Defense or military figure in a position of responsibility who has publicly apologized.”

Song also responded to the findings of a special ministry committee investigating allegations of helicopter fire and fighter aircraft being placed on standby during the incident.

“The committee has done its best to bring the truth to light, but there have been some shortcomings due to legal restrictions on it,” he said.

Song added that he plans to “work harder to ensure that a special act regarding the May 18 Democratization Movement is passed for the sake of a more thorough investigation.”

Formed on orders from President Moon Jae-in in September of last year, the special committee has operated for five months, but is reported to have encountered difficulties due to its lack of legal authority to carry out enforceable investigations.

Song also said he would “take legal and institutional measures to ensure the military no longer interferes in politics or is used for political ends.”

“The South Korean armed forces will take on a new identity as a military that is beloved and trusted by the public for committing its fullest energies solely to its proper function of protecting the people’s lives and property,” he pledged.

A statement was released in response by the May 18 Memorial Foundation and three major associations of family members of victims in the massacre, those wounded, and those arrested and wounded.

“We welcome [Minister Song] formally apologizing, addressing the legal limitations of the May 18 special investigation committee, and promising to work toward the passage of a special investigation law,” the statement said.

“This is a step forward from the Ministry of National Defense’s past approach of distorting and concealing the truth,” it added.

The groups also called on the ministry to “cooperate activity with enactment of a special act regarding the May 18 Democratization Movement and investigation.”

Military helicopters fired on civilians

Previously, the ministry’s special committee reported on Feb. 7 that its investigation confirmed the martial law army to have mobilized helicopters to fire on Gwangju citizens during the democratization movement and placed fighter aircraft on standby with bombs at airfields in Suwon and Sacheon.

Meanwhile, Vice Minister of National Defense Seo Ju-seok released a statement apologizing for his 1988 involvement as a Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) researcher on a working-level committee for the 511 countermeasures committee, which was secretly organized by the Defense Security Command and published a report rationalizing the martial law army’s brutal suppression tactics in Gwangju as an “unavoidable exercise of defense authority by the military.”

“I profoundly apologize for the distress I caused the citizens of Gwangju and the people of South Korea,” Seo said.

“I hope the truth of May 18 is clearly brought to light through enactment and execution of a special law, and I promise to work harder to achieve this,” he added.

Former employees who worked at the Jeonil building in downtown Gwangju inspect bullet holes left by helicopter fire on the building’s 10th floor on Feb. 23
Former employees who worked at the Jeonil building in downtown Gwangju inspect bullet holes left by helicopter fire on the building’s 10th floor on Feb. 23

By Park Byong-su, senior staff writer

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