제주도 폭동 관련 재판장소 이관 / <남조선과도정부 활동> 제34호

UNITED STATES ARMY FORCES IN KOREA SOUTH KOREAN INTERIM GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES PREPARED BY NATIONAL ECONOMIC BOARD NO 34 JULY — AUGUST 1948 KOREAN COURTS 6. Trial of riot cases in Cheju-do continued to claim the attention of the courts. A team consisting of two judges and the Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, sent to Cheju-do in July, returned to Seoul after completing trial of a majority of cases arising from the riots on that island. About 250 persons still were confined in the police jail. The judges reported that the atmosphere in Cheju-do was "not suitable" for the trial of riot cases. The judges were under constant fear for their safety. They feared violence at the hands of leftists if they sentenced rioters lightly. They recommended that serious riot cases be transferred to Mokpo or Kwangju for trial. The Military Governor authorized the Council of Justices, at their discretion, to transfer any Cheju-do cases to Mokpo or Kwangju for trial. CHEJU-DO RIOTS 17. Toward the end of July, disturbances in Cheju-do had practically ceased. --- p312 --- but sporadic riots and shootings wore reported in August. In July, newspapers were concerned primarily with the responsibility for the Cheju-do riots. Dai Han Ilbo said that the leader of the insurgents was Lee Sung-bo, formerly a student officer in the Japanese army. Chosun Ilbo blamed the civil war on the vicissitudes of the Cheju police, and on the fact that high Cheju officials were mainlanders. Cheju-do has maintained customs and institutions of its own apart from the Korean mainland. the paper explained, and mainlanders were incapable of understanding the psychology of the Cheju islanders. The paper hoped that the appointment of a new governor and Chief of Police, both born on the island, would ease the situation.