Secrets of a welfare center comes out in the open

Han Jong-son explains the torture he suffered in a welfare center with the drawing of the violence scene in 1987 in a briefing session of his book, The Child Who Survived,” at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday.

The case about incidents that occurred in a welfare center in 1987 broke through the publications of a book titled “The Child Who Survived.”

Han Jong-son, 37, who introduced the new book at the National Assembly office in Yeoido, central Seoul, said, “I wanted to let go of the bad memories but decided that the truth has to be told.”

The incident involves something that happened over a course of 12 years at a welfare center in Busan where as many as 512 residents, including street mongers, died.

The starting point was the hosting of the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Summer Olympics which pushed the government to clean up streets.

Han was picked up by the authorities on Oct. 16, 1984 together with his sister, went through all kinds of physical punishment and was released after three years in 1987.

He moved on to an orphanage but has not been able to get any type of compensation. His sister has been suffering from a mental breakdown as a result of torture and mental stress.

In the “Brotherhood Welfare Center” where Han was confined, there were only 300-400 who were actually disabled. The facility housed some 3,500 “inmates.”