Segye Ilbo: “Jeju Province to fully support President Lee Jae-myung’s pledge to ‘completely abolish statutes of limitations for state violence’ regarding the April 3 incident.”
Paperslip Note:
It’s unclear what this would mean, if anything, for Overseas Korean Adoptees.
+
Segye Ilbo Article:
“Jeju Province to fully support President Lee Jae-myung’s pledge to ‘completely abolish statutes of limitations for state violence’ regarding the April 3 incident.”
Posted to Paperslip on April 1st, 2026.
Translation via ChatGPT.
BOLDS and blue highlighting ours.
Thanks to a Paperslip Contributor for the link..
Segye Ilbo
Jeju Province to fully support President Lee Jae-myung’s pledge to “completely abolish statutes of limitations for state violence” regarding the April 3 incident
By Lim Sung-jun
Published: March 29, 2026, 3:47 PM
“President Lee Jae-myung visited Jeju on March 29, five days before the 78th anniversary of the Jeju April 3 Memorial Day, and held a meeting with bereaved families. He announced concrete institutional reforms aimed at full restoration of victims’ honor, including the complete abolition of statutes of limitations for state violence crimes. Jeju Province plans to accelerate follow-up measures in response.
That day, President Lee, accompanied by First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, visited the Jeju 4·3 Peace Park, laid flowers and paid respects, and met with bereaved families including Kim Chang-beom, head of the victims’ association.
He said, “This would have been my first memorial ceremony as president, and I very much wanted to attend, but I regret that I cannot due to urgent international and diplomatic matters. With that regret, I came to Jeju early to pay respects and hold this meeting.”
He described the Jeju April 3 incident as “an anti-human rights crime of state violence that occurred amid ideological conflict,” noting that “nearly 10% of Jeju’s population lost their lives as if red camellia flowers suddenly fell.” He added, “As president, I feel deeply sorry when I think of the Jeju residents who were victims of state violence.”
He also said that survivors and bereaved families “were not even allowed to properly mourn their losses and were forced into silence throughout authoritarian regimes.”
Key Policy Directions
President Lee reviewed past achievements such as:
Enactment and implementation of the Jeju 4·3 Special Act
Official state apology
Designation of the memorial day as a national commemorative day
Inclusion of 4·3 records in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register
He then outlined further steps for full restoration of victims’ honor:
Improve systems to counter distortion and disparagement of the April 3 incident through cooperation with the National Assembly
Extend reporting periods for victims and families, as well as deadlines for compensation claims
Expand corrections to family registries for those whose records were distorted due to unreported deaths
Establish an archive center to systematically manage 4·3 records and promote them globally as a symbol of peace
Create legal grounds to revoke honors awarded for suppression efforts
Strengthen identification of victims’ remains and provide greater support to families
“Complete abolition of statutes of limitations”
The most emphasized measure was abolishing statutes of limitations for state violence crimes.
President Lee stated:
“We will completely abolish both criminal and civil statutes of limitations for state violence crimes, so that perpetrators remain accountable for life, and their heirs bear responsibility within the scope of inherited assets.”
He noted that a similar bill had passed the National Assembly during the previous administration but was vetoed, adding:
“We will reintroduce it as soon as possible and ensure permanent accountability, like the prosecution of Nazi war criminals.”
He stressed:
“The most important duty of the president is to ensure that a state—created to protect its people—never again uses its power to commit violence against them.”
Voices of Victims and Local Leaders
Kim Chang-beom, head of the victims’ association, requested:
A law punishing distortion of the April 3 incident
Special retrials for imprisoned victims
A 78-year-old family member, Ko Gye-sun, who was recently recognized through corrected family records, expressed gratitude, saying she had “finally resolved a lifelong grievance after more than 70 years.” Other survivors and families also shared their painful experiences.
Jeju Governor Oh Young-hoon said:
“We deeply appreciate that the president personally came to comfort families who have lived with pain for so long. Since he has shown clear commitment to long-awaited issues such as punishing distortion, abolishing statutes of limitations, and extending reporting periods, Jeju Province will work closely with the central government and National Assembly to turn these promises into reality as quickly as possible.”
Future Plans
Jeju is currently:
Proceeding with the construction of a 4·3 archive center
Continuing excavation and identification of victims’ remains
During his first visit to Jeju since taking office, President Lee will also hold his 12th town hall meeting on March 30 with 200 residents.
In a prior message, he described Jeju as:
A leading model for carbon neutrality based on renewable energy
A global tourism hub combining culture and technology
A key center for regional economic innovation
He emphasized that Jeju’s strengths should translate into improved quality of life and economic growth, adding:
“The most important thing in this process is the voices of the residents. I want to share their experiences, wisdom, and vision for the future as we chart Jeju’s path forward together.”’