[The Outbreak : Red Hunt of April 3rd, how did it happen?]
The inhabitants of Jeju were more nationalistic than their compatriots on the mainland and were full of new hope. But after a while, disappointment and discontent arose in Jeju because not much was different from the days before independence. The Japanese collaborators in police and high official jobs remained and the American military government brought resentment. This discontent led to the shooting incident of March 1st, 1947 at Kwanduk House, which flamed severe conflict between the Jeju people and the government. The American military government came to regard Jeju as a leftist danger zone.
For the following two years, the conflict became more severe as the government applied hard-line oppression on the Jeju residents, and as Jeju people, somewhat led by leftists, opposed the government. Finally, leftist forces gathered and armed themselves on the Hanra mountain and came to be called the 'Armed Guerilla'. The residents who hid to the mountains because of oppression by the military and police naturally sympathized with the Guerilla. Soldiers and policemen were dispatched from the mainland and the unique characteristic of an island, isolation, aggravated the situation.
Finally, on April 3rd, 1948, the Armed Guerilla attacked several police stations. At this, the American military and later President Lee's government regarded Jeju Island as a dangerous leftist zone. Furthermore, the Jeju residents rejected the Election of May 10th, which was very important for Lee Seung-man's government about to be established. To the newly established anti-communist government, the resistant Jeju with its strong leftist color was a pain in the neck. The government, perhaps out of fear for leftist dangers, overreacted and came to order an extermination campaign of the danger factors in Jeju, and the bloodshed started.
The military started an extermination campaign, announcing that all people in areas near mountains will be regarded communist rebels and be executed. Thus, numerous villages on the foot of mountains were set on fire, and their villagers were killed. In response to this ruthlessness, Armed Guerilla counter-attacked and losses increased. For about half a year, this campaign and the conflict between the military and the Armed Guerilla continued. The losses were enormous. Over 30 thousand people are estimated to have been killed during the Red Hunt.
[Unfinished History: Compensation and Restoration of Dignity Movement]
The Red Hunt of April 3rd, despite the size of the incident and the large number of its victims, is not very well known even in Korea. Only a number of people interested in history and the people of Jeju are acquainted with the Hunt.
To the surviving victims of Red Hunt of April 3rd, who saw members of their family die right in front of their eyes, this ignorance about the Hunt hurts them even more. There are deep scars in the hearts of Jeju people, and they are not being cured because not many people acknowledge and appease them. The reason that the Red Hunt was not exposed well in history lies in the hushing up the matter by the past governments rather than in people's lack of concern. Recognizing the injustice of the Red Hunt meant acknowledging the blunder of the government, which leads to liability matters. Also, the hostility with the North had given the South Korean government a nedd to tell its people that 'Reds, and people even suspected of being Reds are bad.' Acknowledging the injustice of the Hunt was a risk, and in contradiction to its anti-communist stance. Thus, rather facing these intricate and sensitive problems, the government had chosen to bury the whole incident as something like 'a revolt by Red mobsters.'
For a half a century after the Red Hunt, the victims did not dare to speak out about their mortification. People whose family members had been executed during the Hunt had to live with the false disgrace of being a 'relative of a Red', being pointed as 'child of a Red', 'father of a Red'. Also, they were constantly watched and were subjected to social restrictions because of the involvement system. They were shunned by society and had to live with all kinds of unfair treatment. Since anti-communism after the Korean War was extreme, the oppression against communists and supposed communists were also extreme. This state continued for several decades. Also during the military dictatorship of the 60, 70s when freedom of speech was not given wholly, victims of the Hunt were constantly under oppression. It was only in the late 80s when democracy was established that they could finally breathe a little easier.
The compensation movement by the bereaved families really began in the 90s. And the interest of the Korean government in investigating about the Red Hunt took shape when Kim Dae Jung government took office.
Still, the movement faced many obstacles, especially the opposition of the bereaved families of the soldiers and policemen who had also lost their lives in the Hunt. For the families of dispatched soldiers and policemen, the compensation and restoring the dignity of the victims meant making the death of the soldiers and policemen meaningless. Although soldiers and policemen did kill many innocent people, they were following orders, perhaps believing that they were doing what is right for their country, and died for that cause. Thus, it is understandable that the bereaved families of the dispatched soldiers and policemen vehemently oppose the compensation movement. Yet, after much conflict and problems, the movement managed to proceed.
1999 December, '4.3 (4.3 refers to April 3rd) Special Legislation' passed through Congress and it stated that the government investigate into the Red Hunt and restore the reputation of the innocent victims. Thus a project group to draw up a report on the truth of the Red Hunt has been formed. On Jan. 11st, 2000, former president Kim Dae-Jung invited bereaved families and representatives of NGOs insisting on truth to the ceremony of signing the '4.3 Special Legislation.' President Noh Mu Hyun already said, "If, as a result of the investigation currently in progress, it turns out that the government had made a blunder, the government will sincerely apologize to the spirits of the victims and the Jeju people."
The investigation and compensation for the Red Hunt must be done as soon as possible. As the victims and the witness are quite aged now, the compensation and the report on truth must be done quickly, when the victims and witnesses are still alive.
