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Archives on Jeju April 3 Uprising, Korea's postwar reconstruction inscribed on Unesco register

Published: 11 Apr. 2025, 10:33 Updated: 13 Apr. 2025, 21:38

Visitors pay their respects at the April 3 Peace Park in Jeju Island, made to commemmorate the victims of the 1947-49 Jeju April 3 Uprising, on April 3. [NEWS1]

Archives documenting the Jeju April 3 uprising and Korea's postwar reconstruction efforts have been listed on the Unesco's Memory of the World Register, recognizing the historical documents as part of world heritage.

The decision came during the 221st session of Unesco’s Executive Board in Paris, which approved the inscription at 11:05 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Jeju provincial government on Friday.

The Jeju provincial government and the Jeju 4.3 Peace Foundation submitted the nomination in November 2023. The documents received recommendations for inclusion from both Unesco’s Register Subcommittee and the International Advisory Committee (IAC).

The Executive Board’s decision marks the culmination of a seven-year campaign that began in 2018.

The archive consists of 14,673 historical records documenting the fact-finding and reconciliation process following the Jeju April 3 uprising, a period of government-led violence against civilians on the island from 1947 to 1954.

The collection includes 27 prison letters and trial records of military court detainees, 14,601 testimonies from victims and their families, 42 civil society records on the truth movement and three official government reports.

Unesco added the Jeju Archives to its Memory of the World Register on April 10. The archive consists of 14,673 historical records following the Jeju April 3 uprising. Pictured is the inmate registry. [YONHAP]

The Executive Board cited the collection’s historical value, authenticity and universal significance. The IAC praised the documents for highlighting efforts to reveal truth, achieve social reconciliation and restore the honor of victims in the face of state violence, and called it a result of democratic practice by a local community in pursuit of peace and coexistence.

With the addition, Jeju now holds five different Unesco designations: Biosphere Reserve, World Natural Heritage, Global Geopark, Intangible Cultural Heritage and Memory of the World.

“This is a historic moment when the journey of Jeju residents to overcome the pain of April 3 and achieve reconciliation and coexistence has become a legacy for the world,” said Jeju Governor Oh Young-hun. “We will share the values of peace, human rights, reconciliation and coexistence that April 3 represents with the global community.”

He added that Jeju will “continue systematically collecting and preserving related records and use them as living materials for peace and human rights education for future generations.” He also said Jeju will cooperate with the central government to build an accessible archive.

A special exhibition titled “Jeju 4.3 Archives on Truth and Reconciliation” is currently underway at the Maison de la Corée, or the Korean House, in the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris in France to commemorate the inscription.

Jeju officials plan to host additional commemorative events, exhibitions and academic forums in the coming months.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY LEE JI-YOUNG [[email protected]]