Excavation of Gwangju burial will begin soon

By Jun Ji-hye

A fact-finding team led by a Gwangju-based foundation plans to excavate a farm where at least 17 bodies are believed to have been buried in secret in 1980 during the military junta’s bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy movement.

The farm is within the compound of an old prison in the southwestern city.

After a two-day field inspection, the May 18 Memorial Foundation-led team concluded Thursday that the farm was used as a secret burial site for victims of the crackdown.

The investigation was based on tips from a former prisoner who claimed to have witnessed the burials, according to the foundation.

The foundation plans to announce a detailed plan next week to excavate the site. If the government approves, the excavation could begin by the end of the month.

The prison was used as a base for paratroopers during the May 1980 Gwangju Uprising, in which citizens rose up against the military rule of then-Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan.

The foundation said it has also found a rough map created by the paratroopers indicating that about 17 bodies were secretly buried in the farm area of the prison. Prisoners at the time worked on the farm.

“We expect those who went missing during the uprising to be eventually found 37 years after the incident,” said Kim Yang-rae, the foundation’s executive director. “We will announce details at a news conference scheduled for Monday.”

The inspection was conducted with approval of the Ministry of Justice, which owns facilities and nearby areas of the prison. The approval was in line with President Moon Jae-in’s pledge to reveal the truth behind the military’s deadly operation against protesters.

According to military documents at the time, 28 protesters who were captured during the uprising died in the prison. Among them, 11 of their bodies have been found so far.

The foundation said the land use has changed since May 1980, as accommodations for prison officers and a tennis court have been built there. But it said most areas remained untouched, so the new facilities would not be a big problem for excavation work.

However, the foundation has asked the Ministry of Justice to provide records showing how the area has changed so it can carry out the excavation more precisely.

“We are also making contact with former prison officers and prisoners to gather their testimonies,” Kim said.

Those who participated in the inspection included ministry officials, excavation experts and ruling Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Woo Won-shik.