The Jeju 4.3 Peace Park is a place dedicated to remembering and commemorating the tragic events of the Jeju 4.3 Incident and the hardships faced by the civilians on the island. It also serves as a symbol of reconciliation and a vision for a future of peace and coexistence, emphasizing human rights.
The establishment of the Jeju 4.3 Peace Park was one of the community's efforts towards collective compensation for the Jeju 4.3 Incident. In the late 1980s, various civil society organizations were actively involved in the movement to uncover the truth behind the incident. Alongside truth-seeking efforts, they persistently called for the creation of a memorial park. Responding to these demands, Jeju Island announced the construction plan for the Memorial Park in August 1995.
In December 1997, presidential candidate Kim Dae-jung proposed a special law to uncover the truth and compensation for the incident. Public hearings on the memorial project were held by the 4.3 Incident Joint Committee, and during his visit to Jeju, President Kim Dae-jung pledged special funding support for the park's construction in 1999. The special law was enacted in 2000, and as a result, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Peace Park took place on April 3, 2003, followed by the opening of the Peace Memorial Hall on March 28, 2008.
The Jeju 4.3 Incident holds significant historical meaning, serving as a place to reflect on the honor and rights of the victims, as well as the values of peace, human rights, and reunification. It is also utilized as a site for human rights education, making it a destination of peace and unification and an educational platform.