Former Officer Testifies in 1981 Camp Shooting, Demands Reinvestigation

A former officer has broken his silence to testify publicly about the 1981 shooting incident at the 5th Division Samcheong Re-education Camp, where soldiers fired on civilians held in protective custody, resulting in casualties. This marks the first time a military commander involved in the incident has come forward, demanding a full reinvestigation. His testimony, however, is expected to stir controversy as previous investigation reports identified him as one of the officers who assaulted inmates, allegedly sparking the protest.

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When the inmates protesting 'Stop the Samcheong Re-education Camp immediately' formed a scrum and protested, the regimental commander ordered 'Load live ammunition! Open fire,' and the battalion commander and company commanders followed suit, ordering 'volley fire,' and the soldiers opened fire.

Han Dong-cheol, a former lieutenant and company commander at the 5th Division's 36th Regiment during the Samcheong Re-education Camp period, testified at a press conference organized by the National Victims Association. He described how inmates, protesting alleged mistreatment and abuse, were met with live ammunition after a regimental commander ordered soldiers to fire. Han claimed that approximately 30 to 40 inmates fell, resulting in a bloody scene.

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This is different from the investigation by the Commission on Post-Conflict Peacebuilding, which stated that Lieutenant Go, the second company commander, fired blanks after failing to receive authorization for live fire, and then volley fire occurred.

This account differs from previous findings by the Presidential Commission on Post-Conflict Peacebuilding and the Ministry of National Defense's Past Incidents Review Committee. Those investigations concluded that the shooting occurred after a second company commander, identified as Lieutenant Go, failed to obtain authorization for live fire and fired blanks, leading to a volley of shots. The previous reports also named Han Dong-cheol as one of three officers involved in assaulting inmates, an act that allegedly triggered the protest. Han vehemently denies these allegations, stating he was a third company commander and did not participate in any assault.

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He was one of the three officers who assaulted the inmates.

Victims' groups and former inmates have expressed mixed reactions. While some acknowledge Han's testimony as a potential act of conscience, others criticize him for portraying himself as a victim. Shin Deok-gi, a former inmate who was present during the incident, stated, "The repentance and confession of conscience by a perpetrator are good, but he shouldn't play the victim by citing his forced discharge." He demanded that Han face appropriate punishment first. Previous investigations found no military personnel were punished for the incident, while inmates involved in the protest faced charges and imprisonment.

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I was the third company commander and never participated in the assault.