Ministry of Justice sets up preparatory unit

The Ministry of Justice building in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. [Ministry of Justice]
The Ministry of Justice building in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. [Ministry of Justice]

By Choi Eui-jong, The Herald Business

A government panel tasked with recovering assets accumulated by pro-Japanese collaborators during the colonial era is being revived 16 years after it was dissolved, with a new mandate to pursue restitution of illicitly acquired properties.

The Ministry of Justice said Monday that a special act governing the restitution of assets held by pro-Japanese collaborators — formally titled the Special Act on the State Reversion of Assets of Pro-Japanese Anti-National Actors — had been promulgated, paving the way for the reinstatement of the investigative committee. A preparatory unit will be established within the ministry, which will serve as the lead agency.

The original committee was established in 2006 under the direct authority of the president and operated for four years, investigating 168 individuals identified as pro-Japanese collaborators and recovering 2,359 parcels of land totaling 11.139 million square meters. The recovered properties were valued at 95.9 billion won ($63.5 million) at the official land price and approximately 210.6 billion won at market value.

The newly promulgated act expands the scope of recoverable assets to include not only properties directly held by collaborators but also proceeds from the disposal of such properties. The committee will operate for up to three years, with a single two-year extension possible subject to National Assembly approval. Individuals who report collaborator-linked assets or provide significant evidence or information will be eligible for reward payments.

The act takes effect six months after its promulgation date. The Ministry of Justice said the presidential office would convene an interagency meeting of related ministries Monday to discuss concrete cooperation measures aimed at ensuring a smooth launch of the new committee.

The preparatory unit will be responsible for designing the committee's organizational structure, establishing its operational plan and laying the groundwork for the initial phase of asset investigations.

Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho said the promulgation of the act had "restored the institutional foundation for recovering pro-Japanese assets" and pledged that the ministry would "work closely with related ministries to ensure the new committee launches without a hitch, providing all necessary support and preparation."


bell@heraldcorp.com