Taiwan Church News

3393 Edition

6 - 12 March, 2017

Church Ministry

A Delayed Justice Finally Came For The Families Of Foreign Victims In 228 Massacre

Reported by Simon Lin

Few people know that, since KMT troops arrived Keelung harbor on 8 March 1947 and started the rampantshootings toward the innocent citizens at harbor side, there were also Koreans got executed in this massacre. Mr Park Sun Chong, a Korean sailor lived at Keelung harbor city and went to market to buy fish for celebrating his second son's one-year-old birthday next day, was randomly kidnapped by KMT soldiers on 11 March 1947 and hence not knowing his where about.

After Mr Park's missing, his wife, three sons and one daughter survived this heinous massacre. Mr Park's eldest son, Park Shin-Tai, and one of his grand daughter, Ms Jo Yong hee, were both ordained pastors graduated from Tainan Theological Seminary and College.

Several years ago, due to his distinguished expertise in modern Taiwan history, Mr Amae Yoshihisa, an associateprofessor of the Graduate of Taiwan Studies at Chang Jung Christian University, was commissioned by Park Sun Chong's families to find out the truth of Park's missing and apply for the compensation from the 228 Foundation of Taiwan government.

Now, justice finally came after a long run, though delayed. In January 2017, the case of Park Sun Chong is decisivelyrecognized by the 228 Foundation as an authentic case of 228 massacre victims. Mr Park Sun Chong thus became the second foreigner compensated for 228 massacre since 2015.

The first 228 foreign victims' case, filed to Taipei High Administrative Court and finally got compensated for 228 massacre twoyears ago, is raised by Mr Aoyama Keisho for his father Aoyama Esaki from Okinawa, Japan. This historical verdict paved the way for the approval of Mr Park Sun Chong's case, which was once rejected in a 1995 application but finally succeeded via professor Amae Yoshihisa's detailed report with evidences.

Stressing justice is blind to nationality, professor Amae Yoshihisa affirmed Taiwan government's courage anddetermination to apologize for the historical mistake of the 228 massacre. Professor Yoshihisa also paraphrased the words from Ms Park Yong Sim, the only daughter of Park Sun Chong, that she felt comforted to see this compensation case settled smoothly and hoped to see his father's name could be inscribed on the 228 monument in the future!

Translated by Peter Wolfe