From Korean War Armistice to Peace Settlement

Today marks the 67th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice Agreement, and yet we still do not have the “final political settlement” inscribed in the agreement. So, technically the Korean War has not officially ended, lacking a peace treaty that will replace the armistice and the ensuing uneasy truce.

Political/diplomatic dynamics have drastically changed in many ways since 1953, with the end of the Cold War for example, but the logical players that need to initially seek the peace settlement in Korea are still the nations behind the signatories of the armistice: the United Nations Command (the US), the Korean People’s Army (North Korea), and the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (China).

South Korea did not sign the armistice in protest at the time (but did it regardless by being a part of the UN Command, and under the US command), but made several subsequent peace agreements with North Korea and is committed to inter-Korean rapprochement. The US and China normalized relations in the 70s. China (and Russia) normalized relations and made peace with South Korea. Both sides of Korea have become members of the UN and the UN has distanced itself from the UN Command in Korea, making it defunct in reality and making the UN incapable of being an arbiter in the resolution of the “Korea question.” The only remaining foreign troops in Korea are the US troops. And the only relation that has not changed after all these years is between the US and North Korea.

The talks between Washington and Pyongyang have again stalled, but they need to be resumed in light of the continuing uncertainty and volatility created by the absence of a peace treaty ending the Korean War. It is about time to put an official closure to the Korean War and chart a new path towards a meaningful peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula.

New Documentary: Korea -- The Never-Ending War

This is the most comprehensive and insightful film documentary on the Korean War, covering its origins and its aftermath, with focus not only on the historical and geopolitical perspectives, but on its impact on ordinary civilians (refugees, separated families, the No Gun Ri Incident of massacre of civilians by US soldiers), and the legacy of the “unending war” on current tensions in the peninsula, including the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear program.

Congressional Resolution Calling for Formal End to Korean War

Reps. Ro Khanna, Barbara Lee and Andy Kim Introduce Resolution Calling for Formal End to Korean War

PRESS RELEASE: February 26, 2019

Washington, DC – As President Trump arrives to Hanoi, Vietnam, Rep. Ro Khanna, along with eighteen Democratic Members of Congress, have introduced a resolution calling for a final settlement of the Korean War, now officially in its 69th year.

The resolution -- which is backed by former President and Nobel Peace Laureate Jimmy Carter and a range of Korean-American and pro-diplomacy organizations -- urges the Trump Administration to provide a clear roadmap to achieve a final peace settlement while highlighting the importance of reciprocal actions and confidence-building measures between the parties.

“Historic engagement between South and North Korea has created a once-in-a-generation opportunity to formally end this war,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “President Trump must not squander this rare chance for peace. He should work hand in hand with our ally, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, to bring the war to a close and advance toward the denuclearization of the peninsula.”

“I commend this important resolution that will help bring this nearly 70 year conflict to a close,” said President Jimmy Carter. “I have visited North Korea several times to talk with their leadership and study the best path forward for peace. Ending the threat of war is the only way to ensure true security for both the Korean and American people and will create the conditions to alleviate the suffering of the ordinary North Koreans who are most harmed by ongoing tensions.”

Co-led by prominent progressive Reps. Andy Kim, Barbara Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Deb Haaland, and Jan Schakowsky, the resolution calls on the Trump Administration to make greater efforts to include women in the peace process, citing the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 which Trump signed into law. Women’s rights icon Gloria Steinem, founder of the peace group Women Cross DMZ, published an op-ed in the Washington Post on Sunday in support of the resolution.

The resolution clarifies that ending the war does not necessitate a withdrawal of US troops from Korea or an acceptance of North Korea as a legitimate nuclear power. The resolution calls on the Administration to continue the repatriation of servicemember remains, and expand cooperation to achieve reunions of divided Korean and Korean-American families and facilitate people-to-people exchanges and humanitarian cooperation.

Rep. Khanna has been a consistent voice for diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula. Shortly after Trump threatened “fire and fury” against North Korea, Khanna was joined by over 70 Congressmembers on his bipartisan “No Unconstitutional Strike on North Korea Act”, which would reinforce existing law prohibiting an unauthorized and unprovoked strike on North Korea. He has also been critical of those in both parties who have sought to restrict flexibility in negotiations, instead urging support for the diplomatic approach of our South Korean ally and its President, Moon Jae-in.

Rep. Khanna will travel to Atlanta next week to sit down with Pres. Carter to discuss developments on the Korean Peninsula and solicit guidance from the Nobel Laureate about how the next generation of policymakers can best pursue a pro-diplomacy agenda for America.

Current original cosponsors (18): Pramila Jayapal, Mark Pocan, Barbara Lee, Deb Haaland, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jan Schakowsky, Raúl Grijalva, Bobby Rush, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Tulsi Gabbard, Adriano Espaillat, Andy Kim, Rashida Tlaib, Judy Chu, José Serrano, Gwen Moore

The resolution is endorsed by organizations including the National Association of Korean Americans, Ploughshares Fund, Women Cross DMZ, Korean Americans in Action, United Methodist Church – Global Ministries, Win Without War, Peace Action, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), Just Foreign Policy, Beyond the Bomb, and Physicians for Social Responsibility.

From Pyongyang and Washington to Hanoi

The second US-NK summit is taking place -- of all places in the world -- Hanoi, Vietnam, where the US intervened and fought a brutal war, made peace, and then normalized relations. The US fought in Korea too, more than six decades ago, but never made peace with North Korea.

We now have a rare window of opportunity to move forward with a peace settlement in Korea and new relations. A cliche it may be, but let's "Give Peace a Chance."

(Photo courtesy of Nobel Women's Iniative which sent a delegation to Hanoi in support of peace settlement in Korea.)

A New Role for the United Nations Command in Korea?

Is there a way for the United Nations Command, a vestige of the Korean War, to play a role in fostering the peace process in Korea? There should be, as it is awkward for the belligerent of the Korean War (the UN Command in Korea, led by US military) to remain unchanged after 65 years, at a time when both sides of Korea are now members of the United Nations. Shouldn't the UN revert to its intended role and be an arbiter of peace settlement in Korea?  READ MORE (article by Tim Shorrck)

The above photo was taken prior to the current warming of inter-Korean relations, when tensions ran high with security alerts at Panmunjeom, situated within the Demilitarized Zone. Now, the scene is much less tense, as the two sides of Korea works to demilitarize the DMZ by demining the area, removing armed guard posts and heavy arms from the area.

Inter-Korean Military Cooperation Expands

The two sides of Korea are moving forward rapidly and widely with the demilitarizing process in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), making the DMZ live up to its name for the first time since its inception in 1953. The next logical step is to officially end the Korean War by replacing the current armistice agreement with peace treaty, READ MORE

Towards Peaceful Settlement in Korea

"Off Ramps to War: Paths to Building Peace with North Korea" conference was held June 13, 2017, at the George Washington University School of International Affairs, Washington, DC,
 discussing various concrete paths towards peaceful settlement and "shared security" in the Korean Peninsular, with former Defense Secretary William Perry, renowned Koreanist Professor Bruce Cumings, veterans for peace, humanitarian NGOs, UN program officer, separated families, scholars, activists, journalists and concerned citizens.

Filmmaker Dai Sil Kim-Gibson's New Documentary on North Korea

“People are the Sky” director on documenting meanings of home, family

               

In the documentary “People are the Sky”, filmmaker and writer Dai Sil Kim-Gibson returns to her birthplace in North Korea after the death of her Iowa-born husband Don. Kim-Gibson, with the goal of discovering what home truly means, finds a country where people live in peace and harmony. READ MORE

The Legacies of the Korean War

New Resource:The Legacies of the Korean War (http://legaciesofthekoreanwar.org/)

Launched in September 2015 at UC Berkeley.  Includes video, audio, and text oral histories, Korean War Timeline, comprehensive Additional Resources, scholar essays, and much more.  

[From the site description]

In the United States, the Korean War, known as the “forgotten war,” more often than not is commemorated as a matter of national security between this country and South Korea. Seldom are the legacies of this brutal war recalled from a human-centered perspective. Rarely is attention given to the fact that, some several decades later, no peace process has brought the Korean War to a close. Korean American war survivors are now in their eighties and nineties, and the time is ripe to foreground their memories as vital to both the historical record and community reflection. Not just a geopolitical reality but an ongoing tragedy, the war’s irresolution has been borne out in the lives of aging Koreans in the diaspora, many of whom witnessed the ruin of their hometowns, were separated from their loved ones, were orphaned, were pressed into military service, and have longed for decades to be reunited with family in North Korea.

For many years, memory of these experiences was suppressed, pushed to the margins of official Korean War histories and silenced within Korean American communities fractured by Cold War divisions. But as survivors age and pass away and second- and third-generation Korean Americans seek to understand their historical origins, these often-painful memories stand as testaments not only to the generational trauma of war, but also to the strength and heart of the Korean American community.

This archive seeks to honor and to give voice to these memories and the hopes of the Korean American community for peace and reunification in Korea.

Campaign for Peaceful Settlement in Korea

[Information on a campaign for peace in Korea.]

The National Campaign for Peaceful Settlement in Korea

2015 marks the 70^th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from the Japanese colonialism, and also the 70^th anniversary of Korea’s division into two occupying zones that led to a tragic war and divided states, with seemingly perpetual animosities and conflicts.  

2015 is also the 62^nd anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice, an armistice that has NOT been replaced with a permanent peace treaty that will officially end the Korean War. Without a peace treaty in place, occasional military confrontations, spiraling arms race, collective suspicions and hostilities ensue without an end in sight.

As concerned citizens, we call for the signing of a peace treaty to end the Korean War as a prerequisite first step, and urge the stakeholders and policymakers to engage in negotiations aimed at reduction of tensions that will pave a way for a lasting peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula that includes normalization of relations, nuclear disarmament and conventional arms reduction.

Plan of Actions: (July 20 to August 16, 2015)

Letter-writing campaign to elected officials (local, state, national level)

Korea Peace Advocacy Day on July 24 (visits to the Congress)
Rally on July 26 at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in DC
Rally at the White House on August 15
Symposium at the William Cho Peace Center, Fairfax, VA on August 15

Initiators: National Association of Korean Americans (NAKA), Coalition of Korean Americans (CKA)

Endorsers (As of 7/20/15): Action for One Korea (AOK), ANSWER, Good Friends USA, National Campaign to End the Korean War, Veterans for Peace/Korea Peace Campaign, DC Methodist Church, Ham Seok-hun Society of DC, LA Sasase, Storrs Korean Church UCC, Conn., Washington DC Korean Citizens Academy

Contact: nakaadvocacy@gmail.com, info@heemang.org

Action for Peace in Korea on the Korean War Armistice Day

July 27 is the anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice in 1953, supposedly a temporary measure towards signing of permanent peace treaty. Yet, after fifty-nine years, peace treaty has not been signed to officially end the Korean War, keeping the Korean Peninsula in a perpetual semi-war-like state of mutual distrust, military buildup and frequent confrontations.


Though there are many contentious issues that need to be resolved toward permanent peace settlement, one of the first logical steps is the signing of peace treaty. It is also a long overdue action to remove the archaic remnant and last vestige of the Cold War. As one of the signatories of the Korean War Armistice, the U.S. has an obligation to do its part towards this end.

The coming July 27th is also the date of the opening ceremony of the London Olympics. On this day that celebrates peace and solidarity of the Olympic spirit, please join friends and concerned citizens in a peace action calling for a lasting peace in Korea, including the conversion of the Korean War Armistice Agreement to peace treaty, as a step towards comprehensive peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula.
(Event info. Sponsors: National Association of Korean Americans, Sasase-Washington/Koreans for Peace)

Protesters at the White House Demand Conversion of Korean War Armistice to Peace Treaty

On the 58th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice on July 21, 2011, protesters -- young and old, Koreans and non-Koreans -- gathered in front of the White House to demand the signing of peace treaty to replace the temporary armistice in place to pave a way to broader peace settlement in the Korean Peninsula and to ensure lasting peace mechanism in Northeast Asia. Prior to the candlelight rally, a workshop focusing on various challenges in Northeast Asia (Korea War Armistice and Jeju naval base controversy, Okinawa base relocation issue, China and the U.S.'s role in the region) took place at the Institute for Policy Studies.

Following is the statement from the candlelight rally.
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Convert the Korean War Armistice to Peace Treaty

As we commemorate the 58th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice and hold a candlelight vigil in front of the White House in honor of the nameless spirits who sacrificed their lives during and since the Korean War, we also demand a permanent peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula.

On July 27, 1953, the U.S. signed (for the U.N. Command in Korea) an Armistice agreement with China and North Korea to temporarily halt the fighting that claimed 4 million lives and divided 10 million families, pending a formulation of a peace treaty. Despite the desire of people in North and South Korea for peace and reconciliation, no peace treaty has been signed since. Though China has since normalized relations with the U.S. and South Korea, the U.S. has yet to normalize relations with North Korea likewise. Sixty years after the outbreak of the Korean War, the United States continues to have a strong military presence in South Korea including 24 military bases and 28,500 military personnel. We demand that the U.S. move towards signing the peace treaty to officially end the Korean War.

The peace treaty in itself may not be enough to guarantee permanent peace in the peninsula, but it is a first logical step to take, that will aid in mutual confidence-building towards formulating a comprehensive and binding peace settlement. The previous attempts by the two sides of Korea on an inter-Korea peace agreement are good precedents for this process.

The need for a peace treaty is also a part of a larger political issue of not only bringing peace to a divided Korean peninsula but also developing a regional framework that provides a means for resolving conflicts and promoting peace in Northeast Asia. East Asia has historically been considered a dispute-ridden region in which the countries participating in the Six Party Talks (U.S., Russia, China, North Korea, South Korea, and Japan) account for nearly 65 percent of the world’s military spending. With military spending increasing in this region, there is no room for peace in East Asia nor peaceful relations between North and South Korea. We demand the end to arms build-up and arms race in the region.

Sponsors: National Association of Korean Americans (NAKA), Foreign Policy in Focus, SaSaSe-Washington (Korean Americans for Peace)
Co-Sponsors: Washington Peace Center, June 15 Committee for Peace and Reunification (U.S. Committee), Korean American Committee for Democracy and Reunification, SaSaSe-Seattle, Good Friends USA, Network for Okinawans, Nodutdol for Korean Community Development, National Campaign to End the Korean War, World Student Christian Federation of the North American Region, World Student Christian Federation of the Asia-Pacific Region, Veterans for Peace NYC

DMZ to DC 2010: Calling for Permanent Peace in Korea

Video highlighting activities by the National Campaign to End the Korean War in Washington, DC during the anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Day on July 27th.

The Korean War (and Peace)

As we mark the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War today and pay tribute to all those perished by the conflict, both soldiers and civilians, we yearn and pray for lasting peace. But are we all really doing our parts to ensure that this kind of horrible tragedy does not occur again in the Korean Peninsula, when the war is not even officially over?

It’s hard to believe, but all we have now is an Armistice, a temporary cease-fire, signed on July 27, 1953. So technically, a war can break out at anytime again. The Armistice Agreement called for a peace treaty, but it has not been negotiated nor signed yet. It is long overdue.

This ambiguous and precarious situation has only created and fostered decades of military and political tensions, hostile confrontations, massive arms buildup and arms race (including the nuclear armament issue) and general uncertainties in the Northeast Asia region. All Cold War adversaries participating in the war have made peace with each other – China and the US being the prime example -- except between North Korea and the U.S.

After many years of animosity, South and North Korea have made tremendous progress in reconciliation and rapprochement during 1998 to 2008, opening borders, reuniting separated families, creating joint economic ventures, showing many possibilities of the engagement policy -- but relations have gone sour in recent years, back to the pre-reconciliation period.

Peace in Korea is not maintaining the status quo and just wishing that no new conflict will break out, rather, genuine and truly lasting peace will only be achieved when we install and maintain working mechanisms of peace. In order to avoid an outbreak of another horrible war in Korea, we need to pressure governments to work towards a permanent peace settlement that will ensure peace, security and prosperity for all parties concerned in the region.

Officially ending the Korean War is the first logical step in that process, as a new mindset of peace will likely foster resolution of other contentious issues. That way, soon, we can truly remember the Korean War --- not by its outbreak or the fighting, but by its official end that would exemplify reconciliation, peace and hope to the world.

War Rhetorics Flare Again in Korea's West Sea

Contrary to conciliatory New Year's Day messages, war rhetorics and artillery shells are being tossed across by both sides of Korea. Angered by the South Korean government's leaked emergency contingency plan for possible North Korean regime collapse, North Korean authorities have increased their warlike statements.

On top of this, North Korea has fired artillely shells near the disputed sea border with South Korea, for which South Korea responded likewise. The photo shows a narrow sea border area on North Korea's west coast, observed from South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island in disputed waters in the West Sea (Yellow Sea) -- indicating the proximity, and hence the danger of clashes, of the two sides on the disputed border. The disputed sea border is another ramnent of the Korean War since the sea border was not mentioned in the armistice agreement but rather declared unilaterally by the UN-led forces on behalf of South Korea. To avoid future confrontations in this area (there were several fatal clashes in the past), the dispute over the sea border called the Northern Limit Line (NLL) needs to be settled in inter-Korea and multilateral peace/security negotiations.

Another Standoff in the Korean Peninsula Peace/Security Issue

Looks like another standoff in the peace/security issue in the Korean Peninsula: North Korea demanded the lifting of sanctions and proposed a negotiation for a peace treaty to officially end the Korean War as prerequisites for rejoining the six-party talks on nuclear disarment, for which the U.S. and allies rejected, countering that North Korea should participate in the six-party talks first. All these issues have been aired before, but the parties still cannot agree on the format and approach towards meaningful resolution.

The National Campaign to End the Korean War (based in North America) issued the following statement (on Jan. 12, 2010 in New York) in response to these developments:

“The Obama administration’s rejection of North Korea’s call for peace sends an alarming message to the most militarized regions in the world. It signals that the White House is unwilling to end a rare opportunity to finally end 60 years of confrontation and hostility. On July 27, 1953, the Korean War was halted by an armistice signed by North Korea and the United States with a promise within months to negotiate a permanent peace treaty. This peace treaty has yet to be realized.

“Washington’s reliance upon the six-party talks as a viable diplomatic step towards ending the Korean War is out of step with its original promise for directly engaging North Korea. ‘Ad-hoc arrangements like the six-party talks’ described by the Obama administration cannot leverage peace on the Korean peninsula. The ultimate responsibility for formally ending the Korean War with a permanent peace treaty exclusively falls upon the United States and North Korea. Direct talks and a peace treaty will position President Obama and Asian leaders to achieve nuclear disarmament on the Korean peninsula and region.

“We urge the Obama Administration to stand by its commitment to directly engage North Korea and to find a bilateral solution to this longstanding war. Now more than ever, the White House can finally bring peace to the millions who have suffered from this conflict.”

From Korean War Armistice to Permanent Peace

Today, July 27, is the 56th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice. Though the all-out fighting came to an end on this day in 1953, technically the war is not officially over since the promised peace treaty between the belligerents (North Korea and China on one side and the U.S. on the other side, representing the U.N. forces that fought in the conflict) has not materialized to this date. The continued presence of U.S. troops in South Korea, holding onto the title of the commander of U.N. forces in Korea, testifies to this unfinished business.

This is odd and anachronistic since political dynamics and international relations have changed drastically since the war: 1) China and the U.S. have fully normalized relations, 2) both South and North Korea have joined the United Nations (which makes the U.N. Command in Korea in essense defunct), 3) the two sides of Korea have signed a non-agression agreement. The only relations that has not shown change is the U.S.-North Korea relations, which continues to operate from the Korean War mentality. Of course the path towards permanent peace in the Korean Peninsula is complicated and uneasy, yet the U.S. is in a position and responsibility to move the momentum -- along with North Korea -- beyond the Korean War Armistice status and towards firmer peace/security guarantees for all parties concerned in the region.

In the U.S., a national grassroots campaign (National Campaign to End the Korean War) is sponsoring candlelight vigils across U.S. cities (Honolulu, SF, LA, NYC, DC) to call for the replacement of the Korean War Armistice to a peace treaty. The above photo is from the DC event.

Campaigns for Peace and Arms Reduction in Korea/Northeast Asia

At this time of heightened tensions in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia and rhetorics of military actions flying around, there are also civilian voices calling for peaceful resolution and arms reduction. The National Campaign to End the Korean War kicked off its campaign on March 18 with advocacy meetings and visits in the U.S. Senate offices [Photo by Korea Report shows a meeting in the Foreign Relations Committee room]. The coalition of over 60 organizations have signed onto an open letter to President Obama calling for the signing of a peace treaty to officially end the Korean War (moving beyond the current armistice agreement) as a prerequisite to moving forward with negotiated settlements for peace and security in the region.

The Asia-Pacific Freeze is a trans-national campaign to freeze and then reduce the military spending of the United States, Japan, China, Russia, South Korea, and North Korea. These countries, which are participating in the Six Party Talks, account for more than 65% of global military spending. The campaign cites the urgent need to address the dangerous escalation in global military spending, which has increased 45% over the last decade, and "the wasting of precious resources on preparing for war when the world faces a dire economic crisis and the planet faces a catastrophic climate crisis." The campaign believes "the place to begin is with the major military spenders, particularly the United States... [and] we believe the first step is an Asia-Pacific Freeze."

"Open Letter to President Obama on Korea Policy"

As the U.S. Black Hawk helicopter cruising in the Yellow Sea (West Sea) off the coast of Korea shows [U.S. Department of Defense photo], the Korean War is not officially over -- only an armistice stands on the way towards potential restart of the conflict. A group of Korean American and American organizations are urging the Obama administration to engage in direct negotiations to address the peace treaty issue that can pave a way for resolutions to the contentious matters with North Korea. Those who want to sign on to the letter below can send name, affiliation if any, and city/state to koreareport@gmail.com
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Dear President Obama,

As a nationwide coalition of Americans of Korean descent and other concerned Americans, we applaud your commitment to a foreign policy that emphasizes diplomacy and negotiation, and hope that this will bring about a lasting peace on the Korean peninsula. We are especially heartened by your campaign commitment to engage in dialogue without preconditions with other countries as a means for resolving tensions.

We urge you to make the signing of a peace treaty with North Korea (DPRK) a top priority of United States foreign policy. In addition, moving toward normal diplomatic relations would be a practical step toward resolving differences over nuclear proliferation and arms control, human rights, and economic reform.

We urgently request that you address the peace treaty issue as soon as possible so that more than 70 million people living on the Korean peninsula and their families here in the United States can at last be freed from the fear of war. Only then can other major regional and global problems be resolved.

It is time to end the Korean War.

As James Laney, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, recently said in Seoul,"... One item should be at the top of the agenda, however, in order to remove all unnecessary obstacles to progress, that is the establishment of a peace treaty to replace the truce that has been in place since 1953. One of the things that have bedeviled all talks until now is the unresolved status of the Korean War. A peace treaty would provide a baseline for relationships, eliminating the question of the other’s legitimacy and its right to exist. Absent such a peace treaty, every dispute presents afresh the question of the other side’s legitimacy.”

We trust that your leadership will help usher in a new era of peace and stability in Korea and Northeast Asia. We urge you, therefore, in these first 100 days of your administration, to open up bilateral channels of communication with North Korea with a view toward signing a peace treaty to end the Korean War.

National Association of Korean Americans (NAKA)
National Committee for Peace in Korea (NCPK)
North American Network for Peace in Korea (NANPK)
Veterans for Peace & National Lawyer's Guild Korean Peace Project

Children 'Executed' in 1950 South Korean Killings

Followup to "Thousands killed in 1950 by US's Korean ally"

Children 'executed' in 1950 South Korean killings

By Charles J. Hanley and Jae-Soon Chang (AP) — Government investigators digging into the grim hidden history of mass political executions in South Korea have confirmed that dozens of children were among many thousands shot by their own government early in the Korean War.

The investigative Truth and Reconciliation Commission has thus far verified more than two dozen mass killings of leftists and supposed sympathizers, among at least 100,000 people estimated to have been hastily shot and dumped into makeshift trenches, abandoned mines or the sea after communist North Korea invaded the south in June 1950.

The killings, details of which were buried in classified U.S. files for a half-century, were intended to keep southern leftists from aiding the invaders at a time when the rightist, U.S.-allied government was in danger of being overrun by communist forces.

Family survivors last month met with the U.S. Embassy for the first time, saying afterward they demanded an apology for alleged "direct and indirect" American involvement in the killings. More.