Chung Koo-do, Chairman of the No Gun Ri Peace Foundation, has devoted his life to revealing the truth about the No Gun Ri Incident and advocating for human rights for over 30 years. Eunyong Chung, Chairman Chung’s father, lost his 5-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter at No Gun Ri in late July of 1950. Seonyong Park, his mother, was also seriously wounded by the indiscriminate shooting of U.S. soldiers. Chairman Chung was born after the war and he witnessed his mother’s grief every July as she memorialized her lost children. His efforts have significantly impacted Korea, the United States, and the global community, promoting human rights and peace.

The No Gun Ri Incident

On June 25, 1950, Kim Il-Sung invaded South Korea with Soviet support and the Korean War began. The No Gun Ri Incident, which occurred in the early days of the Korean War, refers to an incident where about 400 unarmed refugees were massacred for 5 days (July 25 to 29) by soldiers of the US 1^st Cavalry Division who took part in defensive battles in Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, geographically the central area of South Korea as the North Korean Army pushed South Korean and US Forces south toward the Pusan Perimeter. US forces believed that columns of civilian refugees were compromised by the infiltration of North Korean guerillas and had orders to treat refugees as hostile. As a result, violence against civilians like that which occurred at No Gun Ri, were all too common during these initial chaotic months of the war. No Gun Ri is thus just one horrific example officially recognized by the Korean government; the incident highlighted severe human rights violations, with 72% of victims being women, children, and the elderly.

Post-War Context

After the 1953 Korean War Armistice, South Korea went through a period of dictatorship through the mid 1980s. The dictatorship focused on Korean economic development and maintaining a strong alliance with the United States. Discussion of the war years, especially of any wrongdoing that might paint the South Korean or American governments in a bad light were discouraged. Government censors and special investigative units would hound victims of massacres like No Gun Ri to keep silent. Koreans who had families or relatives who were political offenders, collaborated with North Korea or defected to North Korea were prevented from going overseas or becoming government employees. Thus, for about 30 years under the military government, it was considered taboo to criticize any wrongdoings committed by the U.S. in South Korea and critics of the government lacked foreign contacts to get their stories out.  Chung Koo-do and his father were rare examples in South Korea of those who would not remain silent.  When his father passed away in 2014, Chung Koo-do continued the fight to remember the victims of No Gun Ri.

Activities and Achievements of Chung Koo-do

1. Dutiful Son: Assisted his father, Eunyong Chung, in writing the first novel about the No Gun Ri Incident, “Do You Know Our Pain?” (1994), to raise awareness about the massacre.
2. Fact-Finding and Media Engagement: Led efforts to publicize the incident, resulting in significant media coverage, including an AP investigative report in 1999, which led to international recognition and a Pulitzer Prize in 2000.
3. Government Accountability: Pushed both the Korean and U.S. governments to conduct fact-finding investigations, culminating in President Clinton’s statement of regret in 2001.
4. Legislation and Memorialization: Contributed to the establishment of the No Gun Ri Special Act (2004) and the construction of the No Gun Ri Peace Park (2011) , a site for education and remembrance, and authored and published a two-part history of No Gun Ri and the struggle for recognition (2020).
5. International Advocacy: As Chairman of the No Gun Ri International Peace Foundation, Chung Koo-do organized international conferences and educational programs to promote human rights and peace globally.

Future Plans

For the 75th Anniversary of the Korean War and the No Gun Ri Incident in 2025, Koo-do aims to:

• Develop educational materials about the Korean War and No Gun Ri Incident for U.S. schools.
• Propose a joint commemoration day on July 25 by both the Korean and U.S. governments.
• Assist in locating and recovering remains of American soldiers from the Yeongdong battles.
• Conduct joint studies on the Yeongdong battles and memorialize American soldiers’ sacrifices.

Conclusion

Chung Koo-do’s unwavering dedication to human rights and peace through his work on the No Gun Ri Incident merits recognition as an RFK Defender. His relentless pursuit of justice and historical truth has provided invaluable lessons and hope for future generations.