Various Korean News Reports About The Second Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC 2).

Posted to Paperslip on September 4th, 2025.
Thanks to a Paperslip Contributor for the link.
Translation via ChatGPT.
Some bolds and all red highlighting ours.

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Newsis Article:
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Recommends “Refraining from Mechanical Appeals in Compensation Cases and Preventing Martial Law Recurrences”

Paperslip Note: The article below discusses how TRC 2 is wrapping up at the end of 2025.

“Truth and Reconciliation Commission Recommends “Refraining from Mechanical Appeals in Compensation Cases and Preventing Martial Law Recurrences”
Published: 2025.09.03 16:51:55 / Updated: 2025.09.03 19:02:23

Final Approval of Comprehensive Report at 116th Meeting
Activities to Conclude After Reporting to President and National Assembly in November

[Seoul=Newsis] Staff members move inside the office of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Jung-gu, Seoul. (Photo=NewsisDB) photo@newsis.com

[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Cho Seong-ha = The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) approved its second-term comprehensive report, presenting as key recommendations the restraint of mechanical appeals in compensation lawsuits and measures to prevent the recurrence of violations of citizens’ fundamental rights related to martial law. The comprehensive report will be submitted to the President and National Assembly this November.

The TRC announced on the 3rd that at its 116th meeting held on the 2nd at its Jung-gu, Seoul office, it gave final approval to the comprehensive report, which summarizes its investigations and activities over the past five years.

The report includes:

  • Histories of the anti-Japanese independence movement and overseas Koreans

  • Civilian massacres before and after the Korean War and killings by hostile forces

  • Human rights violations during the authoritarian period

  • Truth investigations of the March 15 Democratic Uprising

  • Achievements and challenges of the commission’s activities

  • Comprehensive recommendations

Under the Act on the Investigation of Past Records for Truth and Reconciliation, the TRC also included 23 recommendations across 8 areas, covering actions the state must take and improvements to laws, systems, and policies.

A particularly notable recommendation urges the state and local governments to refrain from automatically filing appeals in compensation lawsuits related to truth investigations. A TRC official explained, “The Ministry of Justice recently decided to forgo appeals in cases not involving trial judgments, and this recommendation reflects a hope that this approach will continue.”

The report also recommends that the National Assembly revise laws and systems, including the Martial Law Act and National Security Act, to prevent recurrence of violations of citizens’ fundamental rights by state power, such as the declaration of emergency martial law.

Additional recommendations include:

  • Enacting laws on victim compensation and eliminating statutes of limitation for claims

  • Establishing a third-term commission to investigate cases suspended during the second term and unreported victims

  • Conducting a full survey of major civilian massacre incidents

  • Expanding ex officio retrials for victims of finalized criminal cases

Due to the expiration of the terms of 6 of the 9 commissioners, the TRC was unable to form a formal report committee. Instead, it approved the report through executive meetings, external advisory meetings, and four rounds of review with the remaining three commissioners. The commission plans to release the full report to the President and National Assembly in November and conclude its activities.

The second-term TRC is scheduled to end its activities on November 26. Investigations effectively concluded on May 26, and the commission has entered the final phase.

Chairperson Park Sun-young said, “I hope the comprehensive report can help heal the pain and wounds of those who lived through Korea’s modern and contemporary history and contribute to moving toward a society of genuine reconciliation and integration.”

◎Newsis – Shared Journalism create@newsis.com”

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“Society / General
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Rehashes Tensions Over Masan March 15 Uprising Report… Park Sun-young Says, “Stop Quibbling”
By Ko Kyung-tae
Updated: 2025-09-02 18:38 | Published: 2025-09-02 18:18

Article Read Aloud: 5:01

On the afternoon of the 2nd, the 116th plenary meeting of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was held. (Provided by TRC)

At the TRC plenary meeting, Chairperson Park Sun-young and the responsible bureau chief engaged in another round of tensions over whether to produce two separate versions of the comprehensive report on the March 15 Uprising.

On the afternoon of the 2nd, the TRC held its 116th plenary meeting to review 21 agenda items, including the draft investigation report for the first half of 2025, the comprehensive report to be submitted to the president and the National Assembly, and objections to investigation suspension decisions. In particular, during the revision report of the comprehensive report, Jeong Young-hoon, Director of Investigation Bureau 2, once again asked Chairperson Park to reconsider, saying, “I do not understand why the comprehensive report on the March 15 incident needs to be produced separately as a 400-page detailed version and a 170-page condensed version.”

Director Jeong explained, “As far as I know, there is no precedent for producing two versions of a report. It’s even unclear whether the 170-page version is truly a condensed one. The report does not explain the difference between the condensed and detailed versions, and it is difficult to do so. If these two reports are distributed to the president, the National Assembly, and local communities such as Masan and Changwon, readers and researchers may wonder why there are two versions, whether they should read the condensed or detailed version, or both. This could cause unnecessary confusion.”

Earlier, Chairperson Park had initially instructed that a condensed version of the Masan March 15 Uprising report be prepared and ordered that the original not be treated as the comprehensive report but only distributed locally, then later withdrew the decision. Within the TRC, some speculated that this was because of negative portrayals of Syngman Rhee. Relatedly, at the 114th plenary meeting on the 5th of last month, Director Jeong had also protested to Chairperson Park, saying, “Unlike cases of mass sacrifice or human rights violations, it is difficult to understand why only the March 15 incident requires both a condensed and detailed version,” sparking a debate.

On the afternoon of the 2nd, at the 116th plenary meeting, Chairperson Park Sun-young (left) took a commemorative photo with Commissioner Jang Young-su, whose TRC term ends on the 3rd, and Commissioner Heo Sang-soo. (Provided by TRC)

Ahead of its scheduled end of activities on November 26, the TRC’s comprehensive report to the president and National Assembly will consist of Volume 1 (General Overview), Volume 2 (Civilian Casualties During the Korean War), and Volume 3 (Human Rights Violation Reports). For the March 15 Uprising, under the 2022 Act on the Restoration of Honor for Participants in the March 15 Uprising, the TRC’s Investigation Bureau 2 was assigned the responsibility without forming a separate committee. The results were originally planned to appear only as a chapter in Volume 3, with a detailed separate version produced as a supplement. However, under Chairperson Park’s instruction, a 170-page condensed version was also included in the main Volume 3.

After Director Jeong finished speaking, Chairperson Park sighed deeply and expressed displeasure. Toward the end of the agenda review, she said, “I hope there will be no further quibbling over matters decided by the plenary meeting.”

Director Jeong also addressed Chairperson Park’s request to “fact-check the 1980s report of 200,000 overseas adoptions and recommend a full survey in the comprehensive report,” stating, “According to official Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics, approximately 170,000 overseas adoptions occurred from 1954 to 2021. Unless errors are found in these official figures, recommending a full survey is inappropriate, so it was not included.” Chairperson Park countered, “These are statistics collected by the state. Estimates of over 200,000 have been reported since the 1980s,” referring to media reports of overseas adoption numbers.

Regarding this, a TRC investigator who handled overseas adoption cases told Hankyoreh, “The statistics in the overseas adoption report were confirmed through two different sources. During the compilation of the comprehensive report, we also checked the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s official statistics again after the chairperson’s comment. It is frustrating that our painstakingly gathered and verified records are ignored, and only 1980s media reports are repeated.”

Meanwhile, Commissioner Jang Young-su completed his two-year term on September 3, leaving only Chairperson Park Sun-young and Commissioner Heo Sang-soo. The TRC approved the comprehensive report draft with the assumption that revisions would be reflected. On September 30, the 117th plenary meeting will be held with the two-member commission to review and resolve objection cases.

By Ko Kyung-tae (k21@hani.co.kr)

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e University Journal Article:
Seoul National University Law School Public Interest Law Center Hosts National Assembly Forum on “Truth-Finding of Human Rights Violations in Overseas Adoptions”.

“Seoul National University Law School Public Interest Law Center Hosts National Assembly Forum on “Truth-Finding of Human Rights Violations in Overseas Adoptions”

Reporter: Lee Seon-yong | lsy419@kakao.com | Published: 2025-09-04 11:02

Participants of the National Assembly forum on “The Significance and Tasks of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Human Rights Violation Decision on Overseas Adoptions” pose for a commemorative photo. Photo: Provided by Seoul National University

[University Journal, Reporter Lee Seon-yong] The Public Interest Law Center at Seoul National University Law School held a forum at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building on August 26 under the theme “The Significance and Tasks of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Human Rights Violation Decision on Overseas Adoptions.”

Co-hosted with the Gonggam Public Interest Human Rights Foundation, OnYul Association, and National Assembly member Nam In-soon, the forum was organized to discuss follow-up measures regarding the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)’s March 25 decision acknowledging serious human rights violations by state agencies during the overseas adoption process, as well as the adoptees’ right to know their origins.

Regarding the significance and challenges of the TRC decision, lawyer Hwang Pil-kyu (Gonggam Public Interest Human Rights Foundation) delivered the keynote presentation. In Part 1, clinical professor Sora Mi (Seoul National University Law School Public Interest Law Center) served as chair, and lawyer Choi Jung-gyu (WonGok Law Firm) presented on measures for remedying overseas adoptees’ harm and the state’s responsibilities following the TRC’s truth-finding decision. Panelists included Tanya Scherensen (Danish overseas adoptee), lawyer Lee Sang-hoon (former TRC standing member), lawyer Kwon Tae-yoon (Chair, Past Affairs Committee of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society), and Choi Jin-seon, officer of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Child Policy Division.

In Part 2, Professor Hyun So-hye (Sungkyunkwan University Law School) served as chair, and lawyer Jeon Min-kyung (OnYul Association) presented legal and institutional reform measures to guarantee overseas adoptees’ “right to find their origins,” including access to adoption information. Panelists included Professor Lee Hwang-hee (Sungkyunkwan University Law School), lawyer Lim Ye-ji (Deoksoo Law Firm), and Choi Jin-seon from the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Clinical professor Sora Mi, who organized the event, stated: “This was a deeply meaningful first National Assembly forum to explore concrete measures for actual restitution after a historic decision achieved through the courageous efforts of overseas adoptees who have spent decades fighting to find their roots.”

One overseas adoptee attending the forum reflected: “Through this forum, adoptees shared their experiences and insights from the TRC petition process. It marked an important step toward state recognition, justice, and accountability for harm caused by past illegal overseas adoptions.”

About 100 overseas adoptees participated both online and in-person. The forum was evaluated as significant not only for discussing remedies and state responsibilities after the TRC’s truth-finding decision but also for exploring institutional reforms to guarantee adoptees’ access to adoption information as a constitutional right.”