With the idea of democratization taking hold in South Korea, movements have been created to uncover the past atrocities of the authoritarian regimes. The objective of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission South Korea (TRCK) is to foster national legitimacy and reconcile the past for the sake of national unity by honoring those who participated in anti-Japanese movements and by exposing the truth through investigation of incidents of human rights abuses, violence, and massacres that occurred throughout the course of Japanese rule until the present time, especially under the nation’s authoritarian regimes. The TRCK began in December of 2005 and finished five years later, in 2010, and investigated 10,860 petitions submitted to them by victims of abuse during the above period to verify the truth of what happened. The main mission of the Commission is to reveal the truth about historical wrongdoing, and to make recommendations such as offering of apologies, restoring honor of victims, compensation of victims, and more. [1] Although one of the first of its kind in Asia, the TRCK investigative authority as a temporary fact-finding body was often curtailed by the law, the South Korean government, and citizens unwilling to dig up old trauma.

[1] Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Republic of Korea., “Truth and Reconciliation Activities of the Past Three Years” 18 Oct. 2018, https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/South_Korea_2005_reportEnglish.pdf

Anti-Japanese movements during Japanese rule
Article 2.1.1 of the Framework Act on Clearing up Past Incidents for Truth and Reconciliation ("Framework Act") defines the scope of investigation for anti-Japanese movements as "anti-Japanese movements during Japanese rule, as well as in the years prior to colonialization." [1] Therefore, the purpose of TRCK investigation in this case is to trace the activities of independence movements beginning with anti-Japanese militia activities from 1894 to 1910 and the anti-Japanese independence movement which lasted until Korea’s liberation on August 15, 1945. These investigations are for the purpose of recognizing individuals for their efforts to protect Korea's sovereignty and enhance Korea's position against Japanese rule spanning throughout the Japanese colonial period.

Comfort Women
Despite recognition of anti-Japanese individuals who fought against the colonial government until 1945, the TRCK failed in addressing a major human rights violation committed by the Japanese government. In fact, crimes committed by the Japanese were left out of the TRCK mandate, and not recognized in petitions. The Japanese Imperial Army kidnapped and swindled underage girls (12-14 years old) into becoming comfort women for Japanese troops. They were locked in small bedrooms and served seven or eight men a day. [2] To this day, the Japanese government denies its part in causing unjust and undeserved suffering and its inhumane treatment of Korean comfort girls-women, and even reversed in 2007 Japan’s admission of its guilt in the Kono Statement on August 4, 1993. [3] It should be in the mandate of the South Korean government and the TRCK to pursue justice for the young women who died or suffered irreversible damage from these experiences.

Massacres occurring from August 15, 1945 to the Korean War period
Incidents ranging from August 15, 1945 to the end of the authoritarian regimes, including deaths/injury/missing persons incidents due to illegal acts such as the disruption of constitutional order or the unjust use of public power, other significant human rights abuses, and allegations of manipulation. Thousands of cases have been investigated in this category, canvassing various massacres relating to the Bodo League massacres, preventive detention, and police and military executions of pro-Communist collaborators. Out of a total of 10,860 petitions, a whopping 7,922 cases were in relation to state massacres of Koreans who were either political prisoners, family of political prisoners, rebels, protestors, or anyone who was deemed a communist. Those to be executed included many women and children. Even so, not all victims have been identified, or even exhumed, as the government halted many exhumations after the expiration of the TRCK. This is an important part of Korean history, and hundreds if not thousands of families still await the return of the remains of their loved ones. The government should take a proactive approach to reconciling these past atrocities. [4]

Opposition of Authoritarian Regimes/ Independence Movements
Article 2.1.5 of the Framework Act defines massacres committed by groups opposing the legitimacy of the Republic of Korea as "terrorist acts, human rights violations, violence, massacres and suspicious deaths by parties that denied the legitimacy or were hostile towards the Republic of Korea from August 15, 1945, to the end of the authoritarian regimes". [5] This expands the period and scope of investigation by the Committee on Independence Movement. This may include any atrocious acts committed against individuals under the guise of anti-communism or protection of state while under the command of authoritarian regimes.

Other Incidents
Incidents that are historically important and deemed necessary for investigation by the Commission and those incidents that fit within the intent of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act. They may not be incidents that are incited by the above acts, but could include police brutality, torture, false imprisonment, or other atrocities committed against them by the Republic of Korea government. [6] The TRCK, like other issues, will strive to resolve through recommendations to state that they give formal apologies, retrials and judicial settlements, conducting memorial services, or revisions to modern history according to newly-verified truth from the Commission.

Documentation
Many scholars note the lack of documentaries, educational materials, scholarly publications, artistic and cultural productions that should have been created as a way of coming to terms with the truth of past events uncovered by the TRCK, but aside from compensation, the South Korean government has largely chosen to ignore the findings or highlight them in any way. [7] Nor has revisions to modern history been completed, as hoped for by the TRCK initially.

[1] Framework Act on Clearing up Past Incidents for Truth and Reconciliation., Enacted by Law No. 7542, May 31, 2005 https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/Framework_Act.pdf

[2] Son, Angella. “Inadequate Innocence of Korean Comfort Girls-Women: Obliterated Dignity and Shamed Self.” Pastoral Psychology, vol. 67, no. 2, 2017, pp. 175–194., doi:10.1007/s11089-017-0779-8.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Republic of Korea., “Truth and Reconciliation Activities of the Past Three Years” Dec. 2009, https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/South_Korea_2005_reportEnglish.pdf

[5] Framework Act on Clearing up Past Incidents for Truth and Reconciliation., 2005 https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/Framework_Act.pdf.

[6] Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Republic of Korea., 2009.

[7] Kim Dong-Choon. “Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission: An Overview and Assessment.” The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 72, no. 4, 2013, pp. 1016–1017. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43553271. Accessed 20 Nov. 2020.

Government of South Korea
The National Assembly fully supported the activities as well and passed the establishment of the commission in 2005. Former President of South Korea Roh Moo-Hyun agreed to the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by apologizing to the victims and families for the atrocities of the Korean war. [1]

Liberty Korea Party (Ruling Party)
The ruling party collaborated with the truth commissions by organizing the special committee on truth verification of massacres from 1950-1960. However, the party have not been fully transparent on the level of corruption and participation in tortures. [2]

ROK Police + Army
The police were found to be responsible for a number of falsifying cases and partook in committing tortures to activists from 1940-1950 as verified in the TRC. Along with the ROK soldiers, the police participated heavily in the massacres of the Ulsan Bodo League and several other communist guerillas. [3]

National Human Rights Commission (NHRCK)
An entity established by the government to identify human rights issues and collaborate with the truth commission in fact-finding. The commission has actively played their role in protecting the rights of victims. [4]

Korean Association of Bereaved Families for Democracy (KABFD)
A group that consists of the bereaved family members of the victims that seek truth behind their deaths. The group is an important factor to the TRC as they petition for further investigation over suspicion of a massacre or individual death which is one of the ways a retrial can take place. [5]

Korea Truth and Reconciliation Commission (KTRC)
A Framework Act that provides a comprehensive account on settling past incidents by fact-finding and reconciling with family and friends victims of the massacre. This commission attempts to foster national legitimacy and identify the corrupted government-related faction. [6]

Local Leftists
Notably known as perpetrators of the massacre and considered one of the biggest groups reflective of brutality and inhumanity during the Korean war. They however contribute to the truth verification as they participated in interviews. [7]
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[1] Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Republic of Korea., “Truth and Reconciliation Activities of the Past Three Years” Dec. 2009, https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/South_Korea_2005_reportEnglish.pdf
[2] Kim Dong-Choon. "THE LONG ROAD TOWARD TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: Unwavering Attempts to Achieve Justice in South Korea." Critical Asian Studies, vol. 42, no. 4, 2010, pp. 525-552.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Wolman, Andrew. "Protecting Victim Rights: The Role of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea." Journal of East Asia and International Law, vol. 2, no. 2, 2009, pp. 457-479.
[5] Journal, The Asia Pacific. “Raising the Korean War Dead: Bereaved Family Associations and the Politics of 1960-1961 South Korea.” 2015, The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, apjjf.org/-Brendan-Wright/4387.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.

United Nations
An intergovernmental organization with their missions aims at preserving the peace and security of the state. The body also act as a reinforcing army for the United States during the Incheon Massacre. [1]

United States Military
The US military intervention engaged in the killings of refugees and civilians in enemy territory throughout the war. Their aerial bombings on mutiple locations across the state, notably in Incheon Landing triggered cases in the TRC. [2]

North Korea
A communist state that has affected a majority of the political discourse of South Korea and is suspected for the abduction cases verified by the commission. [3]

Japan
Colonized Korea from 1910-1945. Before the Korean War, increasing numbers of pro-Japanese influence led to individuals like General Park Chung-Hee to orchestrate a military coup on an extreme rightist ideal. [4]
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[1] “About the UN.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/en/about-un/.
[2] Kim Dong-Choon. "THE LONG ROAD TOWARD TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: Unwavering Attempts to Achieve Justice in South Korea." Critical Asian Studies, vol. 42, no. 4, 2010, pp. 525-552.
[3] Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Republic of Korea., “Truth and Reconciliation Activities of the Past Three Years” Dec. 2009,
[4] Ibid.

Grand National Party
The conservative Grand National Party (GNP) generally represented the offenders' position and interests, and had members who committed some of the war crimes being investigated by the TRCK in high positions. The conservatives had directly and indirectly benefited from the past authoritarian rule and thus could potentially suffer negative consequences from the TRCK's work. They vehemently opposed the Framework Act itself and forced a deep compromise on the ruling liberal Uri Party, which was reflected in the selection and composition of the commissioners. [1]

Korea Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA)
The TRCK was seen as an inconvenience by the institutions that were allegedly responsible for past human rights violations, including the KCIA, the Bureau of Police, and the Ministry of Defense. Especially after the rise of the Lee Myung-bak administration, the KCIA became uncooperative, a sharp contrast to the TRCK's work with them during the previous Roh Mu-hyun administration. Relevant state institutions that received a request for documents from the Commission could reject that request on the grounds of national security. [2]

President Lee Myung-bak
Ever since its inauguration in 2008, the Lee Myung-bak administration has sought to merge and abolish the nation's truth commissions. During the 2007 presidential campaign, members of President Lee's party said the group's activities threatened social harmony in the South and could strain South Korea's alliance with the United States. Although his intention to halt the TRCK's work or force it to merge with other investigative bodies failed, the new presidentially-appointed chairperson was unwilling to finish the TRCK's work. [3]

Legal barrier
Functionally, the Commission is an independent entity that comprehensively deals with the settlement of the past. Legally, recommendations are based on Article 32 of the Framework Act, which empowers the Commission to make necessary recommendations to the government. However, there are no provisions regarding the binding power and the execution process of recommendations, and recommendations could be rejected by the state institutions that might hold some responsibility for perpetrating crimes in the past. [4]

[1] Kim Dong-Choon. “Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission: An Overview and Assessment.” The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 72, no. 4, 2013, pp. 1016–1017. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43553271. Accessed 20 Nov. 2020.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Kim, Hun Joon. "Trial and Error in Transitional Justice: Learning from South Korea's Truth Commissions." Buffalo Human Rights Law Review, 19, 2012-2013, p. 125-168. HeinOnline, https://heinonline-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/bufhr19&i=139.

[4] Framework Act on Clearing up Past Incidents for Truth and Reconciliation. Enacted by Law No. 7542, May 31, 2005 https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/Framework_Act.pdf

The TRCK was not successful in building peace for multiple reasons. The first of which is the fact that only a small portion of victims received closure. Out of 10,860 petitions, 76% were verified by the TRCK to be recommended, but only a miniscule portion of those recommendations were acted upon by the Korean government. Due to some of the barriers listed above, many cases of government atrocities went unpunished and unrecognized, and bereaved families still believe there was no justice done for the loss of their loved one. Additionally, the petitions did not include a large number of the wartime victims who were reluctant to apply because of fear of further reprisal from the government. The government should have emphasized the promotion and recognition of the TRCK processes to overcome the victims’ trauma caused by past authoritarian regimes. Most importantly, the TRCK focused more on truth rather than reconciliation. Facts were verified and some families compensated, but no further actions were taken to create lasting peace for all victims targeted by the TRCK’s mandate. To truly build peace, there should be a creation of a permanent post in the government that would serve to continue the TRCK’s functions.

Another aspect that caused the TRCK to be less effective in building peace is the fact that much of the original documents produced by the TRCK are out of the public reach. Due to coverups of previous and current governments, much of the Korean population are unaware of the past atrocities committed. Even the progress made by the TRCK is difficult to keep track of, as there is no central website or public information on the TRCK results. Outside of the country, only the Framework Act and 2009 TRCK Report can only be found on the United States Institute of Peace website, while the final report is nowhere to be found. The website given by the authors (http://jinsil.go.kr/English/index.asp) of the report is no longer in use, and authors are unresponsive to our attempts to contact them. This is a direct result of the TRCK's last president, Lee Young Jo's decision to stop the distribution of an English-language report due to alleged translation errors. [1] Much of the information can still be found through newspaper archives, but only high profile exhumations and court cases. Some of the more obscure war crimes outlined in the 2009 official TRCK Report have very little coverage,in both Korean and English databases. For example, in the Cobalt mines massacre in Gyeongsan, the International Strategy Centre noted that little information can be found online both domestically and internationally, and funds for excavations have since been cut off by the government. Peace-building cannot happen if the discovery of these atrocities are not readily available to the public; despite the compensation given to some victims, their struggles are not recorded or known to the rest of the nation. This brings up another failure of the TRCK in the process of peace-building in the Republic of Korea. Despite the tens of thousands of South Korean citizens killed in numerous massacres by order of their own governments, there are no major institutions that memorializes this fact. There are no government-recognized museums, memorializations, or buildings that highlight the past atrocities committed by the government. Without further recognition, within the next few decades, these experiences could disappear from public record and can’t be used to hold the government accountable.

There are still a large range of topics that were either uncovered or unresolved by the TRCK. For example, japanese sex crimes were not mentioned in any reports, nor was there an attempt to investigate into the plight of Korean “comfort women” forced to be sex slaves, over 60% of whom died from their experiences. This is not to mention the endless suffering of Koreans under Japanese colonial rule. In addition, many of the verifications and recommendations made by the TRCK were only in relation to the massacres committed by the South Korean government, but in terms of fact-finding, it failed to reveal the final top-level commander of the Korean War massacres and the fabricated espionage cases. Lastly, The vile acts of the American troops during the Korean War were either overlooked or found to have insufficient evidence to pursue the truth or reconciliation. Killings of thousands of unarmed civilians were justified under the guise of U.S. military operations with no repercussions. The South Korean government is reluctant to antagonize the United States, and to this day the U.S. is glorified in Korea as “saviours'', despite the fact thousands of Koreans (mostly women and children) died by their action.

Some ways the findings of the TRCK can be used in promoting peace-building in South Korea would be establishing an official website where all official documents can be found and are updated regularly. In addition, there should be efforts to seek the recognition of atrocities committed by the US and Japan, even if the two nations refuse to acknowledge these acts, the South Korean government should not let these atrocities against their own citizens be forgotten. Lastly, revisions to modern history records should reflect the findings of the TRCK, and permanent tributes or museums should be established to memorialize the victims and their sacrifices.

[1] Kim, Hun Joon. "Trial and Error in Transitional Justice: Learning from South Korea's Truth Commissions." Buffalo Human Rights Law Review, 19, 2012-2013, p. 125-168. HeinOnline, https://heinonline-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/bufhr19&i=139.

Sook, BaeJi. “Panel Reconfirms Cover-up of Students Torture-Death.” Koreatimes, 7 June 2009, www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2009/06/113_46404.html.

Framework Act on Clearing up Past Incidents for Truth and Reconciliation. Enacted by Law No. 7542, May 31, 2005 https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/Framework_Act.pdf

“Forced Media Consolidation in 1980 Was Illegal.” The Dong-A Ilbo, 8 Jan. 2010, https://www.donga.com/en/Search/article/all/20100108/264174/1/%C2%91Forced-Media-Consolidation-in-1980-Was-Illegal%C2%92

“Gov’t to Compensate Man Cleared of Espionage.” KBS WORLD Radio, 2009, http://rki.kbs.co.kr/service/news_view.htm?lang=e&Seq_Code=66695
Korea Times. State Ordered to Compensate Families of Korean War Massacre Victims. 30 Oct. 2012, www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2012/10/113_123486.html.

“Korean War.” Military Censorship of Journalism: World War II - Present, 6 Apr. 2016, yaelcohenhistorypaper2.wordpress.com/2016/04/06/korean-war/.

Rahn , Kim. “Man Cleared of Murder Charge After 36 Years.” Koreatimes, 30 Nov. 2008, www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2008/11/113_35315.html.

Rowland, Ashley, and Hwang Hae-rym. “Verifications of Errant Attacks Fail to Lead to U.S. Acknowledgement.” Stars and Stripes, 19 Jan. 2010, www.stripes.com/news/verifications-of-errant-attacks-fail-to-lead-to-u-s-acknowledgement-1.98145.

Sang-hee, Han. “Roh Apologizes for Massacres of `Leftists in 1950.” Koreatimes, 24 Jan. 2008, www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/01/113_17903.html.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Republic of Korea., “Truth and Reconciliation Activities of the Past Three Years” Dec. 2009, https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/South_Korea_2005_reportEnglish.pdf
United States Institute of Peace. Truth Commission: South Korea 2005. 18 Oct. 2018, www.usip.org/publications/2012/04/truth-commission-south-korea-2005.

Carranza Ko, Ñusta. "South Korea’s Collective Memory of Past Human Rights Abuses." Memory Studies, 2018, pp. 175069801880693.
In this article, Ko examines the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Korea and outlines the inadequacy of the measures taken to implement the same information on textbooks. This is a significant primary document as it emphasizes that politically driven textbooks illustrated the partial truth of the ruling party and hence it lacked symbolic reparation. Ko indicates that in order to fully recognize these human rights abuses and build a knowledge of past atrocities, it is just as important to strengthen educational institutions by inscribing them precisely into school textbooks, notably those of high schools. For Ko, this will also prevent further suspicions on the state’s compliance.

Kim Dong-Choon. "THE LONG ROAD TOWARD TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: Unwavering Attempts to Achieve Justice in South Korea." Critical Asian Studies, vol. 42, no. 4, 2010, pp. 525-552.
Kim Dong-Choon is a profound professor of sociology at Sungkonghoe University in Seoul. As a former standing commissioner of the TRC, his work priorly focused on political power and state building before and right up to the Korean War. He is still dedicated in continuing the legacy of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions and is still actively soliciting family interviews which helped expand their narrative on the Cold War coherently. His article looks past the disintegration of the Commision in 2010 and effectively explains that by struggling for truth-seeking verifications can set an example for other countries to achieve justice in a similar fashion.

Kim, Hun Joon. “Local, National, and International Determinants of Truth Commission: The South Korean Experience.” Human Rights Quarterly, vol. 34, no. 3, 2012, pp. 726–750., www.jstor.org/stable/23254643. Accessed 30 Nov. 2020.
Kim Hun Joon is a senior lecturer at Griffith University and his research focuses purely on institution norms, justices and human rights on the international level. His article provides an extensive framework which describes the mechanisms to an effective truth commission. He touches upon the growth of South Korea from an authoritarian regime to a more democratic one. In particular, he elucidates that in order to achieve democratization of the state, having consistent activism and timely strategies can transform the effect of an event from a hostile one into a conducive environment. Adopting this framework helps facilitate a better understanding of the South Korean experience.

Suh Hee-Kyung. “ATROCITIES BEFORE AND DURING THE KOREAN WAR.” Critical Asian Studies, 42:4, 2010, 553-588, DOI: 10.1080/14672715.2010.515388
Suh Hee- Kyung explores the role of the South Korean and U.S forces in the casualties of innocents before and during the Korean war. The article goes into detail by analyzing the extent of their actions in warfare and elucidates that the state’s reflection on mutual way of living should be preserved as it would act as a metric for soldiers to meet that criteria. She also concludes by critiquing the states’ lack at justifying its legitimacy as an authority and mockingly questions the state’s confidence in future emergencies and whether they would be capable at deciphering the difference between the leftists and the civilians.

Kim Dong-Choon. “Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission: An Overview and Assessment.” The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 72, no. 4, 2013, pp. 1016–1017. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43553271. Accessed 20 Nov. 2020.
Kim Dong-Choon served as a standing commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Korea (TRCK), who remained vocal on the subject after the dissolution of the TRCK, producing works like this article elaborating on the details not included in the official TRCK report. The article summarizes each section of the report from his own point of view, which includes observations on insufficiencies and obstacles he had noticed during his tenure as commissioner. Kim concludes with suggestions to ensure lasting success with the TRCK through systematic changes like revising the Framework Act, and expresses that Korea has a long way to go before truly reconciliatory advances can be made.

Kim, Hun Joon. "Trial and Error in Transitional Justice: Learning from South Korea's Truth Commissions." Buffalo Human Rights Law Review, 19, 2012-2013, p. 125-168. HeinOnline, https://heinonline-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/bufhr19&i=139.
In this article, Kim questions the effectiveness of the TRCK, noting that it lags behind some of the international TRCs it was modelled after. In particular, he criticizes the fact that apart from a handful of English-language articles on the 1980 Gwangju massacre and the subsequent reparations program, there are few English-language articles on South Korean reconciliation attempts. Kim further elaborates that the work of any truth commission does not end with the mere completion of its mandate. Rather, Korea should follow international examples. The experience of truth commissions in South Korea will provide valuable lessons for the inter-Korean dialogue, aiming at peace, democracy, and human rights.

Suh, Jae-Jung. “Jae-Jung Suh TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN SOUTH KOREA.” 2010, doi:10.1080/14672715.2010.515386. Accessed 20 Nov. 2020.
Suh notes the fine line on which the TRCK teeters; on the one hand it is commendable in trying to uncover deeply buried truths, but on another it raises fundamental questions about who is the adjudicator or holder of the truth. She notes the irony in the fact that the government perpetrated the massacre and discriminated against families, yet the bereaved families' only option was to appeal to the same state for grievance settlement. Through this dilemma, the TRCK represents the brilliance of human resiliency and sets the example of situations where the oppressed constantly strives to clear injustices by their oppressors.

Yoneyama, Lisa. “POLITICIZING JUSTICE: Post–Cold War Redress and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.” 2010, doi:https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1080/14672715.2010.515391. Accessed 20 Nov. 2020.
Yoneyama’s article recognizes the TRCK's efforts for historical justice have the potential to effectively politicize the terms and distribution of justice. She stresses that the TRCK's premise rests on the acknowledgment that wartime loss and victimization must be approached and redressed. However, there seems to be an inability to redress the damage created by the U.S. during the Korean War, creating an “unevenness” between the South Korean government's burden of accountability and the impunity given to the United States. She also proposes that this situation has the potential to be transformed and redressed through social activism.

Sook, BaeJi. “Panel Reconfirms Cover-up of Students Torture-Death.” Koreatimes, 7 June 2009, www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2009/06/113_46404.html.

Framework Act on Clearing up Past Incidents for Truth and Reconciliation. Enacted by Law No. 7542, May 31, 2005 https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/Framework_Act.pdf

“Forced Media Consolidation in 1980 Was Illegal.” The Dong-A Ilbo, 8 Jan. 2010, https://www.donga.com/en/Search/article/all/20100108/264174/1/%C2%91Forced-Media-Consolidation-in-1980-Was-Illegal%C2%92

“Gov’t to Compensate Man Cleared of Espionage.” KBS WORLD Radio, 2009, http://rki.kbs.co.kr/service/news_view.htm?lang=e&Seq_Code=66695

International StrategyCenter. “Gyeongsan Cobalt Mine and Massacre Site.” 국제전략센터/The International Strategy Center, 국제전략센터/The International Strategy Center, 30 Oct. 2015, www.goisc.org/englishblog/2015/10/30/gyeongsan-cobalt-mine-and-massacre-site. Accessed 23 Nov. 2020.

Kim Dong-Choon. "THE LONG ROAD TOWARD TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION: Unwavering Attempts to Achieve Justice in South Korea." Critical Asian Studies, vol. 42, no. 4, 2010, pp. 525-552.

Kim Dong-Choon. “Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission: An Overview and Assessment.” The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 72, no. 4, 2013, pp. 1016–1017. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43553271. Accessed 20 Nov. 2020.

Kim, Hun Joon. "Trial and Error in Transitional Justice: Learning from South Korea's Truth Commissions." Buffalo Human Rights Law Review, 19, 2012-2013, p. 125-168. HeinOnline, https://heinonline-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/bufhr19&i=139.

“Korean War.” Military Censorship of Journalism: World War II - Present, 6 Apr. 2016, yaelcohenhistorypaper2.wordpress.com/2016/04/06/korean-war/.

Son, Angella. “Inadequate Innocence of Korean Comfort Girls-Women: Obliterated Dignity and Shamed Self.” Pastoral Psychology, vol. 67, no. 2, 2017, pp. 175–194., doi:10.1007/s11089-017-0779-8. Accessed 22 Nov. 2020.

Suh, Jae-Jung. “Jae-Jung Suh TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION IN SOUTH KOREA.” 2010, doi: https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1080/14672715.2010.515386. Accessed 20 Nov. 2020.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Republic of Korea., “Truth and Reconciliation Activities of the Past Three Years” Dec. 2009, https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/South_Korea_2005_reportEnglish.pdf
United States Institute of Peace. Truth Commission: South Korea 2005. 18 Oct. 2018, www.usip.org/publications/2012/04/truth-commission-south-korea-2005.

Wolman, Andrew. "Protecting Victim Rights: The Role of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea." Journal of East Asia and International Law, vol. 2, no. 2, 2009, pp. 457-479.

Yoneyama, Lisa. “POLITICIZING JUSTICE: Post–Cold War Redress and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.” 2010, doi:https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/10.1080/14672715.2010.515391. Accessed 20 Nov. 2020.