Nguyen Thi Thanh, a survivor of civilian massacres by the South Korean army during the Vietnam War, expresses her feelings via video link after partially winning the first trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 7th. On this day, the court ruled, “Pay Nguyen won 30 million and damages for delay.” Reporter Seong Dong-hun
The Seoul Central District Court’s first trial ruling that the South Korean government should compensate victims of the massacre of Vietnamese civilians by South Korean soldiers came 55 years after the massacre took place. Nguyen Thi Thanh, a victim and plaintiff in this case, said in a video call with the litigating attorneys right after the sentencing that day, “I’m listening to this news today, wondering if the fight this I am doing comes to an end. “
The Korean government sent 320,000 troops to the Vietnam War between August 1965 and March 1973. In February 1968, soldiers from the 1st Company of the 1st Battalion of the Blue Dragon Unit (2nd Marine Corps Brigade) killed approximately 70 civilians in the village of Phongni, the subject of the this ruling.
In 1999, Vietnamese testimonies that South Korean soldiers had killed civilians were presented for the first time through domestic media. However, the South Korean government did not release related data or officially acknowledge the massacre. At least, former President Kim Dae-jung said in a summit with Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong on December 15, 1998, “There was a time when both countries suffered misfortune,” and in 2001, “I apologize for causing pain to the Vietnamese People unintentionally. I’m sorry about that.” This wasn’t even specifically referring to the massacre of civilians.
When former President Roh Moo-hyun visited Vietnam in 2004, he said, “Our people owe a deep debt. That’s how much I really hope for Vietnam’s success.” Former presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye did not comment on this issue. Former President Moon Jae-in apologized to President Tran Dai Quang in summit held in Hanoi, Vietnam in March 2018, saying, “I express regret for the unfortunate history between the two countries.”
On April 21, 2020, members of civil society organizations such as the group Lawyers for a Democratic Society held a press conference to file a lawsuit for state compensation for victims of civilian massacres by South Korean soldiers sent to the Vietnam War. Woo Cheol-hun Senior Reporter
After Nguyen visited South Korea in April 2018 and witnessed directly to the victims, the issue of the massacre of Vietnamese civilians by the South Korean army gradually drew attention. Nguyen held a press conference at the National Assembly and took part in a mock trial held by lawyers. At this time, a war veteran who belonged to the 1st Company testified in court that he had witnessed the massacre. Former Supreme Court Justice Kim Young-red, who served as the presiding judge of the mock trial, said in the sentencing statement, “It is reasonable to view this case as an intentional genocide rather than an unintentional and involuntary sacrifice (during the war) ” he said
Nguyen visited Korea again in April 2019 and presented a petition to the Blue House demanding a fact-finding investigation, an official position on the victims, and measures to restore the damage. It was a petition representing 103 Vietnamese from 16 villages who lost their families or were damaged by the Korean army during the Vietnam War, but the Korean government did not accept it. The Ministry of National Defense said, “There is no confirmation of civilian massacres by South Korean soldiers in the Korean military combat records,” and “To confirm historical facts, a joint investigation by the South Korean and Vietnamese governments should precede, rather than one. an independent investigation by South Korea, but the conditions have not been created.” he did
After the Lawyers for a Democratic Society filed a lawsuit against the National Intelligence Service for the disclosure of information, in April 2021, the data at the time in the National Intelligence Service was released for the first time. When the Phongni village massacre became controversial, the Central Intelligence Agency investigated the 1st to 3rd platoon commanders belonging to the 1st company in November 1969, and left records and newspaper reports.
Attorney Lee Seon-gyeong, who represented Nguyen in this lawsuit, said, “It was difficult as an agent because it was a long time ago and there was no evidence, and South Korea is the country that committed the crime, but I I think that standards for victims and perpetrators should not be different depending on nationality.” judgment,” he said.
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