GTC: Ein kurzer Bericht, Herbst 2017

Folter-Trauma-Hilfe - in Gwangju (gegr. 2012)


Ein kurzer Bericht vom Herbst 2017
(Verfasser: KIM Chan-Ho)

Zur Zeit arbeiten 11 Personen in unserem Zentrum:
The staff consists of clinical psychologist, counselor, social worker, nurse, human rights activist,
program planner, physical therapist, and administration.

The first director of the center was Kang Yong-joo, who jailed in prison as a prisoner of conscience for 14 years. He is a prisoner of commerce appointed by Amnesty International and served for 14 years on charges of espionage.

The second director of center, which was inaugurated in 2017, is Oh Soo-sung, former Chonnam National University professor. He is the professor of psychology at the university and Professor who has studied May 18 trauma for a long time.

The Gwangju Trauma Center was operated as a pilot project by the Park Geun-hye government in 2012.
However, in 2016, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has suspended its budget and is currently being operated by Gwangju City. Recently, the new government is preparing to transfer the Gwangju Trauma Center to the national violence healing center.

Since October 2012, the total number of visitors using the center is 477.
Among them, 412 people are involved in the May 18 democratization movement and 65 victims of national violence, including torture. Victims of national violence include victims of democracy protests in Busan & Masan at year 1979, victims of torture manipulation of spies, victims of democratic movements, bereaved families of civil war victims related to the Korean War, and other democratic activists.

In the meantime, May 18 victims, families, and victims of national violence were not aware of the perception of the visit to the trauma center. Recently, however, many victims who felt the stability in domestic politics after the new government was launched have been asked to visit the center and counseling. Therefore, psychological healing of victims of national violence realizes that
the realization of justice and the stability of politics are very important.