SEOUL: Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun issued a formal apology on behalf of the South Korean government for the first time regarding the tragic fate of the Silmido unit, a covert commando team trained in the late 1960s to infiltrate North Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the apology came during a ceremony initiating an excavation project aimed at locating the remains of four members of the unit who were secretly executed and buried in 1972. The defense minister expressed deep regret for the pain and suffering inflicted on the families of those who died during the Silmido incident. ‘May those who were sacrificed during the Silmido incident rest in peace, and I express deep apologies and condolences to bereaved family members for their suffering and sadness,’ the minister’s statement read.
The Silmido unit, also known as Unit 684, was formed by the South Korean spy agency and the Air Force following an unsuccessful assassination attempt by North Korea on the South Korean presidential office in 1968. The
unit comprised individuals who were subjected to intense and often brutal training regimes. Despite their preparation, the unit was never deployed for their intended mission.
The situation escalated in 1971 when the commandos mutinied against the harsh conditions and attempted to escape, leading to a deadly confrontation with military and police forces in southern Seoul. The incident resulted in the death of most members, while the four who survived were later captured, tried by a military court, and executed. Their bodies are believed to be buried in a cemetery in Goyang, just north of Seoul.
The story of the Silmido unit remained largely unknown until it gained attention following the release of a popular film in 2003, which depicted the plight of the unit members. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2022 recommended further investigation into the burial sites and called for the excavation of the remains as well as a formal apology to the victims, culminating in today’s historic apology.