Our History

The Truth Foundation was established in 2009 by ordinary South Koreans who had been tortured and imprisoned under fabricated charges of spying for communist North Korea, but whose convictions were later overturned. The reparations they received from the government became the seed money for the Foundation.

Under the military regimes of President Pak Chung-hee and President Chun Doo-hwan, the fear of North Korea and communism was manipulated to legitimize political oppression and control over a population that still carried the trauma of war with the communist North. It was in this setting that the most vulnerable members of South Korean society, including illiterate fishermen who worked off the coast of the border areas, found themselves suddenly taken from their homes and families by the security apparatus of the South Korean state. Detained in isolation and interrogated without legal counsel, they were tortured until they “confessed” to spying. These “confessions” were then used to obtain their convictions by prosecutors and the judiciary who, beholden to the military regime in power and charged with upholding unjust laws, failed to stop this massive miscarriage of justice.

To be imprisoned for being a North Korean spy, was to become a pariah in South Korean society, at a time when even suspicion of such activity or any association with a person suspected of such activity meant harassment by the state and hardship caused by discrimination. It was a stigma that tainted not just the individual accused, but the entire family and even their relatives.

For over 20 to 30 years, the falsely accused have carried not only the physical and psychological scars of torture, but have also had to bear the pain of poverty and social alienation as a convicted “North Korean spy,” despite their innocence. However, through the long and difficult process of correcting this past injustice and successfully challenging their convictions, they experienced the power of truth that endures and ultimately prevails.

It was this experience, which became the impetus to establish the Foundation and to play a part in ensuring that the same horror is never repeated and help other torture survivors both in Korea and in other countries. In this regard, the falsely accused recall what a source of strength and comfort it was to them when they received messages of support while in prison, particularly those of strangers from other countries.

Our Members

Board directors of the Foundation are the following individuals who successfully had their spying convictions overturned and who donated part of their reparation payments to establish the Foundation: Kim Song-kyu, Kim Yang-ki, Kim Chol, Pak Geun-hong, Pak Dong-un (YI Su-rye), Pak Choon-hwan, Bae Bung-hee, Song Sok-min, Shim Han-un, An Kyo-do, Oh Ju-sok, Yu Myung-rok, Yi Jun-ho, Im Bong-tek, Chong Sam-keun, Choe Yang-jun, Han Deung-ja(PaK Kyong-joon), Han Hwa-ja(Kim Jung-in),Her Hun.

Other board directors of the Foundation who help carry out its mission include:

• Human rights activist, Song So-yeon, who carries out fact-finding research into the fabricated spying cases and helps bring the stories of the torture survivors to the public
• Attorney, Cho Yong-whan, who represents many of the torture survivors in their retrials
• Psychiatrist, Chong Hye-shin, who provides counseling services to torture survivors
• Doctor of family medicine, Kang Yong-ju, who leads the group therapy sessions for torture survivors. He himself is a torture survivor, serving 14 years in prison on false charges of being part of a North Korean spy ring
• Psychiatrist, Mun Yo-han, who hosts 'My Day-Unburdening' with torture survivors

The Truth Foundation supports victims of torture in fabricated spying cases and their families, to enable them to become pro-active in their rehabilitation and in society. The Foundation’s activities in this regard include the following projects.

Our Projects

* Group Therapy Sessions

We began group therapy sessions for torture victims and their families to help them overcome the aftereffects of torture with the help of psychiatrists.

* My Day – The Unburdening

We began holding sessions where a torture survivor becomes the hero for the day and tells his or her story to others, who listen with empathy. This unburdening process helps the torture survivor face his wounds and experience healing.

* The Truth Foundation Healing School

Torture survivors use their own wounds as a source of healing for others who are suffering similar pain.

* Winter Flu Vaccination Program

Healthy people create a healthy society – The Truth Foundation seeks out those who are currently fighting against state violence and carries out a winter flu vaccination program, in early winter every year.

* Music Journey – From Heart to Heart / Ryu Ji-na’s Film Promenade

The power of truth is the power of healing! The Truth Foundation holds concerts and film viewings to bring together torture survivors, supporters, volunteers and activists in a healing community.

* The Truth Foundation Human Rights Award

We established the “The Truth Foundation Human Rights Award” to honor torture survivors and to thank those who have made a substantial contribution to safeguarding human dignity against state violence. The award is presented every year on June 26, the United Nations Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

* United Nations Day in Support of Victims of Torture

The Truth Foundation holds a commemorative event to draw attention to the problem of torture and the suffering of torture survivors.

* Support to Correct Injustices in Cases Involving Human Rights Violations

The Truth Foundation supports activities to seek justice for torture survivors, falsely accused in fabricated spying cases.

* Support for Torture Victims in Asia

Torture survivors of The Truth Foundation remember the time, when alone in prison and forgotten by Korean society, they received messages of solidarity from human rights organizations and citizens from all over the world. Now, they wish to do the same for victims of torture and state violence in the world, particularly in Asia.

* Movement to Establish a Healing Center for Victims of State Violence

The Truth Foundation is seeking to expand the scope of its support by providing rehabilitation and care to other victims of state violence, and not just torture victims. The foundation plans to train care professionals, conduct fact-finding research on the aftereffects of torture and trauma, and create a model for Korea, studying and comparing the research and clinical information from abroad.

Homepage: http://www.truthfoundation.or.kr

E-mail: truthfoundation@hanmail.net

Address: 5F, 29-6, Changdeokgung-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Tel. 82-02-741-6260 / Fax. 82-02-742-6260