Botschaft der Republik Korea Außenstelle Bonn in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Notification on the application for truth-finding in accordance with the Framework Act on Settling the past for Truth and Reconciliation

  The Framework Act on Settling the past for Truth and Reconciliation underwent a comprehensive revision with the goal of reconciling with the past and moving forward towards strengthened national unity by clarifying the distorted or concealed truth behinds past events. 

Thus, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of the Republic of Korea receives the application for truth-finding in accordance with the article 22 of the Framework Act from February 26, 2026.

February 26, 2026

Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of the Republic of Korea

================================================================================================

1. Application period : February 26, 2026 – February 25, 2028

2. The scope of truth-finding(prescribed in Article 2 of the Framework Act)

○ Independence movement against Imperial Japan which had been carried out during the Japanese occupation or immediately prior to that period.

○ History of overseas Koreans who have defended the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea and extended its national power after the Japanese occupation until the enforcement date of the Framework act. (No. 7542)

○ Cases of mass Civilian deaths, injuries, or missing which occurred unlawfully from August 15, 1945 to the period prior to, during, and immediately after the Korean war.

○ Cases of deaths, injuries, or missing which occurred as a result of unlawful or seriously unjust exercise of governmental power, such as acts of destruction of the constitutional order, and other cases of grave human right violations and allegedly fabricated cases from August 15, 1945 to the foundation of The National Human Rights Commission(November 25, 2001).

○ Acts of terrorism, human right abuses, violence, massacres, and suspicious deaths committed by forces which deny the legitimacy of the Republic of Korea or the hostile to the Republic of Korea from August 15, 1945 to the period of authoritarian rule. 

  ※ With the exception of the cases already being processed in accordance with the other acts

○  Human right abuses committed by social welfare facilities, intercountry adoption agencies, and mass detention facilities run or supervised by the central or local government from August 15, 1945 to the foundation of The National Human Rights Commission(November 25, 2001).

3. Qualification for application

○ A victim, his or her bereaved family or relative

○ Any person with knowledge of particular facts about a case subject to clarifying the truth 

4. Methods of filing application 

○ An application shall be filed in writing. An applicant shall file the application via post, e-mail(TBA) or in-person(An applicant can visit Korean embassy & Consulates in your country and submit an application in-person.)

  ※  If you can only submit in English, you can fill out the application using the English form and submit it together with the pesonally signed official Korean application without filling it out.

    Provided, That where special circumstances exist that make it impracticable to file an application in writing, the application may be filed orally. 

  - An applicant can download an application form from website of   Korean embassy or Consulates.

※ When an application is received, a receipt of application will be provided. 

5. Documents needed for an application

○ (Applicant) 

    a copy of ID or passport (mandatory)

○ (If an applicant is represented by someone)

    designation of representatives

○ (If an applicant has one) Documents related to an application case

  ※ e.g. : adoption documents 

☞ Contacts

 ○ The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of the Republic of Korea

    - address : (04554) 5 Floor, Namsan Square Building, 173 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu Seoul, Korea  

    - telephone : +82 (02)3393-9700 / 9701