ACRC: Government Should Support Repatriation of Sakhalin Forced Mobilization Victims' Remains

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Expresses Opinion to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety
"Private Repatriation of Remains Should Be Reviewed for Support"

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission has determined that the government should cover the costs when bereaved families repatriate, at their own expense, the remains of victims who were forcibly mobilized to the Sakhalin region during the Japanese occupation and died there.

Government Complex Sejong, Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

On June 8, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced that it had expressed its opinion to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety regarding a request for reimbursement filed by the family of the late Mr. Lim, a victim of forced mobilization to Sakhalin, who repatriated his remains at their own expense. The commission recommended that the ministry determine whether to provide support after review in accordance with the “Special Act on the Investigation of Forced Mobilization during the Japanese Colonial Period and Support for Victims of Overseas Forced Mobilization” (Forced Mobilization Investigation Act). In addition, the commission advised the ministry to improve the system, including establishing related guidelines, so that repatriation of remains of overseas victims led by the private sector can be actively supported.

Previously, the bereaved family brought the late Mr. Lim’s remains to Korea at their own expense in 2013 and enshrined them at “Manghyang Hill” in Cheonan National Cemetery. Later, the family submitted a petition to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stating, “We fulfilled the government’s responsibility to repatriate the remains, so we request reimbursement of the actual expenses.” However, the ministry rejected the request, stating there was no legal basis.

According to the commission’s investigation, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety was found to have the legal authority to support the repatriation of remains under the Forced Mobilization Investigation Act. The commission also noted that over the past five years, the ministry’s average budget execution rate for repatriation of remains was only 44.3%, indicating that there are no budgetary constraints. The commission pointed out that if the government continues to rely solely on government-led procedures, the repatriation of remains of overseas victims could be excessively delayed.

Hansam Seok, Vice Chairperson and Secretary General of the commission, stated, “The bereaved family took it upon themselves to repatriate the remains before the government, and it goes against the humanitarian intent of the law to refuse even to review their request simply because there is no precedent. We hope that the national support system for privately led repatriation of remains, which has been neglected for a long time, will be established and that projects to honor the spirits of overseas victims of forced mobilization will become more active.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.