The Defense Ministry`s panel mandated to probe questionable deaths in the military yesterday began work to unearth the remains of 20 secret commandoes who revolted and were killed in 1968.
This is the first step for probing the so-called Silmido incident in which the 24 secret agents were killed after an armed revolt against the government`s decision to disband the unit.
They were trained in Silmido, an isolated islet in the West Sea, for a mission to assassinate then-North Korean leader Kim Il-sung. Twenty were killed on the spot and four were executed later.
The Truth Commission on Past Military Incidents said in a statement that it has gathered since September information from witnesses and reports by then-military officials who were involved in the burial of 20 killed on the spot. It concluded they are presumed to be buried in Byeokje, Gyeonggi Province.
(davidpooh@heraldcorp.com)