This year marks the 71st anniversary of Jeju April 3rd Incident. Dozens of sites around the island bear witness to the tragic events in the nation’s history.

A great deal of effort has been made to officially register the sites as national historic properties. However, little progress has been made.

Joseph Kim reports.

[slug] ‘Lost village’ of Goneuldong

Only snaking stone walls stand by the sea.

This used to be the coastal village, (곤을동) Goneuldong.

The village was devastated by armed guerrillas and police forces during the April 3rd Incident and the whole village was obliterated.

[slug] Government moves to register Goneuldong as historic property

It is one of the locations worth preserving as an April 3rd historic site.

The province has attempted to register it as a historic property for four years.

But little progress has been made.

[slug] Negotiation with landowners stalled

The province has failed to negotiate with land owners of 49 lots in the lost village.

This year, the province managed to secure funding from the national budget for the purchase, but the purchase is limited to one plot among the 49.

If there are plans to construct buildings on the remaining 48 plots, there is no way to stop it.

The province's attempt to register April 3rd historic sites hasn't paid off.

[slug] 6 candidate sites selected for registration in 2015

The island carried out research to select candidate sites for the registration in 2015 in an effort to preserve the historic sites that are disappearing for a number of local development projects.

However, only a single site has been successfully designated as a historic site. That is the (수악) military post in Seogwipo.

[slug] Only Suak Military Post registered, some already disappearing

The fortress in (한림) Hallim, (뒷골장성) Duitgoljangseong built by area residents to defend against armed guerrillas' attacks during the April 3rd Incident, has vanished into thin air during the real estate boom over the last few years.

No progress has been made on four sites, the lost village (곤을동) Goneuldong,the fortress in (낙선동) Nakseondong, the military post on (시오름) Shi oreum and the (머흘왓성) Meoheulwatseong fortress.

INTERVIEW
Yang Jo-hun / Head, Jeju April 3rd Peace Foundation
April 3rd Incident historic sites vividly show how our ancestors suffered and struggled for survival. Losing the sites is equivalent to eradication of our memory of the tragic history as well as the incident itself.
<인터뷰 : 양조훈 / 제주4·3평화재단 이사장>
"4·3 유적지는 우리 조상들이 어떤 삶을 살았는지, 어떤 수난을 당했는지 보여주는 살아있는 현장입니다. 그런 유적지들이 하나 둘 사라진다는 것은 4·3 역사만이 아니라 우리의 기억이 말살되는 것과 다름 없다고 생각합니다."

The province is coming up with plans to preserve the April 3rd historic sites by the end of this year and will start purchasing the private land.

INTERVIEW
Provincial Representative
We're now coming up with plans to preserve the April 3rd Incident historic sites. The Suak Military Post has been successfully registered as a historic site. A course of action to register other sites are included in the plans.
<인터뷰 : 제주도 관계자>
"4·3유적지 종합관리계획을 추진하고 있어요. 수악주둔소 1곳은 됐지만 안된 부분에 대해 등록문화재 지정 전략 수립을 과업에 넣어놨어요."

Remains of the April 3rd Incident tell stories of the tragedy of the nation's contemporary history.

[Reporter] Joseph Kim
[Camera] Kim Yong-min

Not to forget and not to repeat the painful history, the remains need to get legal grounds to be protected.

Joseph Kim, KCTV