Korean veteran confesses killing civilians at Vietnam War

Yoon Mi-hyang, chairman of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, stands in front of the Vietnam Embassy in Seoul, apologizing for massacres and sexual violence committed by Korean troops during the Vietnam War. (Yonhap)

SEOUL — A 72-year-old veteran confessed that his military unit killed local civilians, unable to differentiate them with Viet Cong guerrillas, also known as Vietnamese communists.

A war veteran admitted that some of the dispatched South Korean troops killed non-military locals during the Vietnam War (1960-1975).

Korea sent troops to Vietnam during its civil war in an effort to push the communists back.

There have been voices, both domestic and international, calling for the Korean government to recognize and apologize for the massacres of Vietnamese civilians by its troops, during the war.

A 72-year-old veteran recounted on an incident through an interview with a local media outlet No Cut News, confessing that his military unit killed local civilians, unable to differentiate them with Viet Cong guerrillas, also known as Vietnamese communists.

According to his testimony, some of the soldiers were unexpectedly shot and killed while approaching a village. The surviving members called up around 20 villagers and questioned them.

Unable to find the evidence nor successfully communicate with them, the platoon leader shot three male adults, out of fear that the unit might be attacked again.

The veteran explained that in almost every operation, the military killed some civilians, mistaking them for the enemy. He denied any deliberate massacre.

Saying that he has lived the past 50 years in regret and sorrow, the veteran argued that the Korean government must officially apologize to the people of Vietnam.