Army Revokes 33 Commendations for Gwangju Crackdown Roles

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- The Army said Tuesday it has revoked 33 commendations that were awarded to soldiers in the name of an Army chief for their roles in a bloody crackdown during the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju.

The move is the latest in a series of military efforts to address past wrongdoing by the troops during the brutal crackdown on civilians who rose up against the military junta, led by then Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan, in the nine-day revolt.

Chun seized power through a coup on Dec. 12, 1979, and ultimately became president in August 1980.

After a review of the commendations related to the Gwangju crackdown operations, the Army found a total of 33 troops had received commendations, Bae Seok-jin, the Army spokesperson, said in a press briefing.

"The Army decided to revoke the 33 commendations at a merit review committee on April 28," Bae said.

"We are proceeding with required procedures in line with relevant laws and regulations to address commendations that were inappropriately conferred, as we take very seriously the historical significance of the May 18 pro-democracy uprising." he said.

Separately, the defense ministry indicated it is taking steps to strip a late Army general of a state decoration awarded to him for playing a key role in the Gwangju crackdown.

Former Gen. Park Jun-byung, then commander of the Defense Security Command, was awarded an Order of National Security Merit by Chun in 1982.

The JTBC cable channel reported Monday that the national security decoration remains in place to this day due to insufficient legal grounds for its revocation.

The citation summary for Park's award only describes his "contribution to national security," without detailing his specific role in the crackdown.

"Despite these legal constraints, we fully recognize public concerns over state honors awarded to perpetrators of state violence," ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said.

"Once we establish the grounds for revocation, such as evidence of false or misrepresented achievements, we will consult with relevant ministries and take follow-up steps accordingly," she said.

Park is known for his involvement in Chun's 1979 coup and leading the Gwangju crackdown as then commander of the Army's 20th Infantry Division.

Park also received an Order of Military Merit in 1980 for his role in the crackdown operations. The government revoked the medal in 2006 under a special law enacted to address state responsibility, including finding the truth, holding perpetrators accountable and restoring victims' honor.