Launch of May 18 fact-finding committee still pending
By Kim Jae-heun
A public outcry to uncover the truth behind the suppression of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising continues to grow.
However, the formation of a special fact-finding committee to find those responsible for the ensuing human rights violations and the bloody crackdown at the time remains adrift.
At a ceremony marking the 39th anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, Saturday, President Moon Jae-in called on the country to rise to the challenge in discovering the truth.
“I urge the National Assembly and my fellow politicians to take greater responsibility and proceed with the launch of the special committee. When it is established, the government will fully support its investigation and provide all the necessary information and data needed,” Moon said during a speech at the National Cemetery for the May 18 Democratic Uprising in Gwangju.
He also called on the political parties to end their confrontation over the issue. Liberty Korean Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn was met by angry protestors in Gwangju, the same day, who demanded that he punish members of the main opposition party who have continued to make controversial remarks on the democratization movement.
President Moon legislated a special act last March to create the committee to investigate former dictatorial leader Chun Doo-hwan who allegedly ordered the military to attack protestors ― mostly students and residents ― in the streets of Gwangju. More than 200 people were killed and 852 injured, according to a prosecution report from 1995.
The act went into an effect last September to push the National Assembly to legally form the special committee, but the ruling and opposition parties have been arguing for eight months over its composition.
According to the act, the National Assembly speaker recommends one member, the ruling party, four, and the opposition parties four. President Moon then reviews their nominations before appointing them to the committee.
However, the main opposition LKP recommended its candidates late, slowing down the process.
Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and the Bareunmirae Party all submitted their recommendations early.
The LKP then caused a stir by recommending as one of its candidates the controversial Jee Man-won, a former Army colonel who claims North Korea instigated the uprising.
In January, it dropped Jee and recommended three other candidates, but President Moon refused to appoint two of them, saying they did not have the qualifications specified in the special act.
The act sates that candidates must have at least five years of experience in the fields of law, academics, forensic medicine, history or human rights.
The main opposition party has not made any recommendation since then. Instead, it has questioned the recommendation of one of the DPK's candidates, noting that she was a victim of the uprising and therefore could not investigate the case impartially.
In addition, last month LKP proposed adding the qualification that one committee member must have served more than 20 years in the military.
The ruling party agreed to this under the condition that the opposition party cooperate to speed up the process of launching the committee.
However, the fast tracking of government-led judiciary reform has put a stop to the whole procedure as the LKP is now boycotting the Assembly to oppose this. This move has led to President Moon involuntarily breaking his promise to form the fact-finding committee before the anniversary of the uprising.