Truth and Reconciliation Commission Adds 28 Members… Laying the Foundation for Investigation into 'Mass Internment and Overseas Adoption'

The Secretariat's staffing quota has been expanded from 137 to 165, and
Investigation Bureau 3 has been formally established, reflecting the third amendment to the Enforcement Decree.

[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Hwang Jun-seon = Song Sang-kyo, the newly appointed Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, is delivering his inaugural address at the inauguration ceremony held at the Commission in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of March 4. 2026.07.07. hwang@newsis.com

[Seoul = Newsis] Reporter Cho Seong-ha = The 3rd Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) has prepared an amendment to the enforcement decree to increase the number of secretariat personnel by 28 to carry out expanded truth-finding duties.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission announced on the 7th that it has prepared a partial amendment to the 'Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on the Settlement of Past Events for Truth and Reconciliation' containing such content.

This amendment to the enforcement decree is a follow-up measure to the Framework Act on the Settlement of Past Events for Truth and Reconciliation, which was amended last February. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission emphasized that it focused on reinforcing the organization and personnel to respond to the expanded scope of truth-finding and newly established functions.

According to the amendment, the staffing quota for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Secretariat will be increased by 28 people, from the existing 137 to 165. The additional personnel will consist of 22 special-category officials responsible for investigation duties and 6 general-category officials responsible for specialized administration, including records management, welfare, education, and veterans' affairs.

Currently, Investigation Bureau 3, which is responsible for cases of human rights violations in overseas adoptions and collective detention facilities, is operating as a task force (TF). The Truth and Reconciliation Commission plans to formally establish Investigation Bureau 3 following the third amendment of the enforcement decree in October, and after completing the deployment of investigators, begin full-scale investigations into the cases.

"This amendment to the enforcement decree lays the foundation for the 3rd Truth and Reconciliation Commission to stably perform investigative functions in accordance with the intent of the law amendment," said Song Sang-kyo, Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. "We expect that through the establishment of Investigation Bureau 3, we will be able to investigate human rights violations occurring in collective detention facilities and adoption agencies more systematically and professionally."

The amendment to the enforcement decree takes effect simultaneously with its promulgation on this day following the relevant procedures.

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