Koreans bow to apologize to victims of Ha My massacre

VNF - The RoK delegation including lawyers, teachers, peasants and scientist burst into sobs at the memorial ceremony of the Ha My massacre’s victims held on March 11.

Members of the RoK - Vietnam Peace Fund bow to apologize to victims of the Ha My massacre

All 41 members of the RoK – Vietnam Peace Fund bowed to apologize for the tragedy that Korean soldiers caused to Ha My villagers (Dien Duong commune, Dien Ban district, Quang Nam province) 50 years ago (January 24, 1968).

Fifty years ago, on the morning of February 25, 1968 (January 24 in lunar calendar), 135 Ha My villagers, most of them being elderly, women and children, were killed by troops of the RoK "Green Dragon" brigade.

50 years passing, the wound inside the hearts of Ha My villagers seem inconsolable.

Dang Thi Kha, a Ha My villager burst into tears at the memorial memory

“I was very angry. My mother died. My brother died. 5 of my relatives died. I was just 3 years old then. Now seeing them come back, I am hurt so much. But the anger can help nothing.’’

Mr. Kang U II – President of the RoK-Vietnam Peace Fund said at the ceremony

“We sincerely apologize to the departed, the innocent, those who still alive and all Vietnamese compatriots. Standing on the land where a tragic massacre was cause by our country’s army 50 years ago, we are speechless. What should be done to be forgiven?

The massacre has been around half a century, but our energy maybe still weak. So much time has passed, we still stuck in history and truth, the truth about the day when a dark night covered Ha My village. No matter how shameful the past is, the truth must be brought to the light in the most complete way.

Sorry.

We’re sincerely so sorry.

We will never forget.’’

Sobs filled up the space. Relatives of the deceased painfully recalled the tragedy but also touched to see the return of civilized Koreans./.

VNF