< anchor>
Sexual violence committed by martial law forces during the
May 5 pro-democracy movement has not been properly exposed. A national fact-finding investigation is underway into 18 cases.

For the first time in more than 51 years, KBC reporter Chung Jung-jin listened to the testimony of the victim in front of the camera.

<Reporter>
Kim so-yeon said she tried and tried again and again not to remember
what happened that day, but in the end it was useless.



Most of the memories of the past 40 years have been scattered, but the brutality of the martial law forces has left deep scars on my body and mind.

[Kim so-yeon (pseudonym)/40/5 Sexual Violence Victim: (Of the three martial law soldiers) Two of them had a rank and one had no rank, but that's how I remember, I don't remember whether I walked home or took a taxi at all.]

The voices of many victims of state violence have been heard, but there is no place for victims of sexual violence.

[Kim so-yeon (pseudonym)/May 18 Victim of sexual violence: The only victims were the victims, and we weren't the victims.

The recent statistics on sexual violence in martial law forces revealed by the May 5 Fact-Finding Commission clearly show this reality.

Of the 18 cases in which victims of sexual violence were revealed, more than half of them were not investigated due to the victim's refusal.

[Hong In-hwa, director of the May 5 Democracy Movement Archives: They don't want to say, 'I was sexually assaulted,' and if they can convince me to tell them, what should I do next, who should follow up on that, because there's no way.]

In 18, the May 51 Compensation Act was amended to open the way for victims of sexual violence to receive compensation for the first time in more than 5 years.

It means more than material compensation to being recognized as a victim.

Then, in July, they will begin filing complaints for the first time.

[Kim so-yeon (pseudonym)/May 18 Sexual Violence Victim: If a group of people get together now, I want to speak out, because I can't do it alone....]

(Video interview: Jang Chang-geon KBC, Yeom Pil-ho KBC)

KBC Jung-jin