South Koreans struggle for compensation for 1951 war massacre

Frank Smith,
Press TV, Seoul

In February 1951, with the Korean War raging, the South Korean Army killed more than 700 fellow South Koreans - suspected communist sympathizers. The victims of the Geochang Massacre were found to be innocent civilians. Most of them were women and children. Jeong Hyun-joo was 4 years old when much of his family was killed.

Since the 1990s, memorials and a museum have been established. But for decades the massacre was suppressed by South Korea's military dictatorships and previous monuments destroyed. Early local investigators faced state-sponsored violence and prison. Survivors now seek compensation.

South Korea's Supreme Court last December ruled in favor of the victims of the Geochang Massacre, suggesting the state may responsible for the killings. Lee Seong-yeol is lobbying the National Assembly to pass a law outlining redress.
The Geochang Massacre represents just one episode of South Korea's often painful and forgotten past. But the divisions laid bare here remain, as survivors seek compensation and understanding from their nation.

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