SEOUL, April 11 (AJP) - The Jeju 4·3 Archives have been officially inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World program, marking global recognition of the historical tragedy and the island’s long journey toward truth, reconciliation, and remembrance.
The decision was adopted during the 221st session of UNESCO’s Executive Board, held in Paris on Apr. 10 (local time). The listing, under the title “Revealing Truth: Jeju 4·3 Archives,” acknowledges the historical value, authenticity, and universal importance of the records documenting one of South Korea’s darkest chapters.
Submitted by Jeju Province and the Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation in November 2023, the archive comprises 14,673 documents including military court trial records, handwritten postcards from prison, firsthand testimonies from survivors and bereaved families, civic society campaigns, and three official government investigation reports.
The Jeju Uprising, also known as the Jeju 4·3 Incident, began on Apr. 3, 1948, as protests against separate elections planned in South Korea. It escalated into an armed conflict and a brutal state-led counterinsurgency campaign. Over the course of several years, tens of thousands of civilians were killed, and entire villages were destroyed. Historians estimate that between 14,000 and 30,000 people, about 10 percent of Jeju’s population at the time, lost their lives.
Long suppressed under authoritarian rule, the events remained taboo for decades. A government truth commission in the early 2000s led to official acknowledgment, apologies, and compensation. The UNESCO listing is now seen as a milestone in international recognition of efforts to reckon with the past.
“The inscription of the Jeju 4·3 Archives is a meaningful moment in which the historical journey of the people of Jeju, who healed the pain and achieved reconciliation, has become a heritage for the world,” Jeju Governor Oh Young-hun said. He vowed to continue collecting and preserving related records, and to use them as educational materials for future generations.
UNESCO’s International Advisory Committee described the archives as highlighting “efforts to uncover truth in the face of state violence” and praised the community’s democratic commitment to peace and healing.
With this inscription, Jeju Province now holds five UNESCO designations: Biosphere Reserve, World Natural Heritage, Global Geopark, Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Memory of the World.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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