The bereaved family of Kim Sang-deok, the chairman of the Anti-National Activities Special Investigation Committee (the Committee), has formally applied to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to clarify the illegality behind the Committee's forced disbandment, which occurred shortly after its establishment in 1948. This represents the first instance of such an application related to the Committee at the Truth Commission, highlighting the ongoing struggle for acknowledgment and justice concerning historical grievances against pro-Japanese collaborators in South Korea. On October 24, Kim Jeong-ryuk, son of the late chairman and vice chairman of the Korean Provisional Government’s Memorial Committee, is set to submit this request and meet with Chairman Song Sang-kyo of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

In the application, the family accuses the government of Syngman Rhee of unlawfully obstructing the Committee's activities by abusing state power to hinder efforts aimed at holding pro-Japanese collaborators accountable. Specific allegations outlined in the application include interference with lawful appointments of committee members and related officials, manipulation surrounding the National Assembly informants incident, the planning of an abduction and assassination of committee members, as well as orchestrated protests against the Committee directed by the government.

The Anti-National Activities Special Investigation Committee was formed in October 1948 under the overwhelming support of the National Assembly, aiming to punish individuals who harmed independence fighters and their families during the Japanese colonial period. However, it soon became a target of hostility from pro-Japanese factions and the government, leading to its violent dismantlement in 1949. This latest request for truth and justice underscores the long-standing unresolved tensions in South Korea regarding its historical narratives and the fight against those perceived as collaborators with colonial powers.