Jeju’s female public servants are engaging with a painful chapter of the island’s history through a unique combination of field visits and film screenings. The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Women Public Officials Association’s chapter, known as Chamkkot-hoe, organized a program in April 2026 that linked a historical site tour with a collective movie viewing to deepen understanding of the April 3 Uprising and Massacre.
The initiative, titled “Not Parting with 4·3,” drew inspiration from Han Kang’s novel We Do Not Part, using its thematic focus on memory and unresolved grief as a framework for reflection. On April 18, approximately 20 members of Chamkkot-hoe visited key 4·3 historical sites in the Seongsan area, including Sa-ga-reum, Jongseomul, and Hanmosal, guided by professional interpreters who provided contextual insights into the events that unfolded across Jeju between 1947 and 1954.
Following the field trip, the group reconvened on April 22 for a collective screening of the documentary My Name Is, which chronicles the decades-long struggle of a survivor to reclaim their identity after being forcibly renamed during the military suppression of the uprising. Around 60 participants attended the film viewing, using the narrative as a springboard for personal reflection on the enduring significance of names, memory, and historical accountability.
Kim Hyun-ju, president of Chamkkot-hoe, emphasized the dual approach of the program as a means to foster both intellectual understanding and emotional resonance. “Visiting the actual sites where these events occurred and then watching a film that captures the personal toll of historical trauma allowed our members to engage with 4·3 history in a deeply meaningful way,” she stated in remarks reported by local media outlets covering the initiative.
The April 3 Uprising began as a protest against police brutality and political exclusion under the U.S. Military administration in South Korea following World War II. What started as demonstrations on Jeju Island escalated into an armed insurgency, which was met with a severe counterinsurgency campaign by Korean government forces supported by U.S. Authorities. Estimates of the death toll vary, but scholarly research indicates that between 14,000 and 30,000 people—up to 10% of Jeju’s population at the time—were killed during the suppression period, with many victims buried in mass graves across the island.
For decades, discussion of the 4·3 events was suppressed under successive authoritarian regimes that framed the uprising as a communist rebellion. It was not until the democratization movements of the 1980s and the subsequent establishment of the 4·3 Peace Park in 2008 that official acknowledgment and reparative measures began to emerge. In 2003, the South Korean National Assembly passed the Special Act on the Jeju 4·3 Uprising and Massacre, which mandated investigations into the violence, cleared the names of those falsely accused, and provided a basis for compensation and memorialization efforts.
The Chamkkot-hoe program reflects a broader trend among civil society organizations on Jeju to leverage educational and cultural initiatives to preserve historical memory, particularly as the number of direct survivors diminishes. By combining experiential learning at historical sites with narrative film, the group aimed to create multiple pathways for engagement—cognitive, emotional, and communal—with a history that continues to shape island identity and discourse on justice and reconciliation.
Such efforts are part of ongoing attempts to ensure that the lessons of 4·3 are not confined to annual commemorations but are integrated into broader societal understanding of state violence, civilian protection, and the importance of truth-seeking processes. The women public officials’ initiative highlights how professional associations can contribute to historical education beyond their administrative roles, using their networks to foster civic awareness and intergenerational dialogue.
As of late April 2026, no new legislative actions specifically related to 4·3 memorialization have been announced by the Jeju Provincial Council or the National Assembly. The next scheduled official event related to 4·3 remembrance is the annual memorial ceremony on April 3, 2027, which traditionally includes speeches by survivors, wreath-laying at the 4·3 Peace Park, and cultural performances dedicated to the victims.
For those seeking to learn more about the 4·3 Uprising and its legacy, the Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation maintains an online archive of testimonies, historical documents, and educational resources available in multiple languages. The foundation also facilitates guided tours of the peace park and related historical sites throughout the year.
What aspects of historical memory do you believe are most essential for communities recovering from periods of state violence? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and consider sharing this article to help spread awareness of initiatives that connect personal reflection with collective history.