정치범 분류 및 석방에 대한 군정장관의 비망록

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES ARMY MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN KOREA Office of the Military Governor APO 235 Unit 2 5 April 1948 Lieutenant General John R. Hodge Commanding General United States Army Forces in Korea APO 235 Dear General Hodge: In compliance with your letter of 24 March 1948 relative to the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea letter of 17 March 1948, I have had the Department of Justice, South Korean Interim Government, continue the review of all cases of persons who are now confined in prisons or police jails who might be considered to come within the class of "political prisoners" as defined in paragraph 16 of the Commission's letter referred to above. Extracts were made from original court records of evidence and were reviewed in the cases of 6,260 prisoners who had been confined for a variety of offenses in which there was a possibility of the political element being involved. Of these 6,260 cases, it has been determined that 3,140 might be considered "political prisoners" under the definition stated in paragraph 16 of the letter referred to above. In most of these 3,140 cases the offense consisted of participating in illegal meetings and demonstrations and distributing handbills and do not include any cases in which the offense was accompanied by acts of violence which indicate that release of the prisoner would be dangerous to public security. I have had release orders and pardons for all of these 3,140 prisoners prepared and dispatched by courier to the various provinces for distribution to prisons and police jails so that these prisoners will have time to proceed to their respective places of residence for registration as voters or as candidates if they are otherwise eligible to register for those purposes. There are transmitted herewith two complete sets of the release orders and pardons for these prisoners. Sincerely, W. F. DEAN Major General, United States Army Military Governor Inc. 2 DECLASSIFIED Authority [illegible] 826514 243