The Shadow of a Torturer: Lee Geun-an’s Death Revives South Korea’s Painful Past
The recent passing of Lee Geun-an, a figure once synonymous with the brutal interrogation tactics employed during South Korea’s authoritarian era, has cast a long shadow, reopening old wounds and reigniting discussions about human rights abuses. Lee, who died at the age of 88 from multiple organ failure, was widely known as the “torture expert” and faced decades of criticism for his unwavering lack of remorse, often referring to his actions as patriotic and even likening his interrogation methods to “art.”
Survivors of the abuses inflicted during Lee’s tenure have come forward, recounting harrowing experiences at the hands of interrogators who frequently used aliases to shield their identities. Lee, operating under the moniker “Black Bear,” became a reviled figure for his self-devised and particularly cruel methods. It wasn’t until 1988, amidst South Korea’s democratic transition, that his true identity was exposed by a newspaper, forcing him into an 11-year period of hiding before he surrendered in 1999.
A Legacy of Cruelty and Unrepentant Stance
Lee Geun-an’s alleged interrogation techniques were diabolical. Among the most notorious was “chicken roasting,” a method where victims were bound to a bar and suspended over a fire, akin to roasting meat. Other methods included inflicting joint dislocations, waterboarding, and electric shocks. His arrest and subsequent seven-year prison sentence, served after his surrender, followed by his release in 2006, saw him adopt the role of a Christian pastor. Critics, however, viewed this as a calculated move to evade public condemnation and social stigma.
Lee consistently defended his actions, framing them as a necessary fight against pro-communist forces. In reality, many of those subjected to his interrogations were pro-democracy activists detained without warrants and coerced into confessions through extreme torture.
“Lee Geun-an’s name was closely associated with human rights abuses under past military-backed authoritarian rule,” stated former lawmaker Min Byung-doo, who himself was subjected to Lee’s team’s interrogations for his involvement in pro-democracy movements. Min expressed deep regret that Lee passed away without showing any remorse. “Had he repented for serving as a tool of oppression under a dictatorial regime, he might have helped write a chapter of reconciliation in history,” Min added.
Personal Testimonies of Horror
Min Byung-doo’s own ordeal began in 1981, a period when then-president Chun Doo-hwan was consolidating power following a military coup. Min vividly recalls being apprehended by a “burly man, smiling broadly,” who pointed him out to his colleagues. He was taken to the infamous Namyeong-dong anti-communist investigation office, a location that would become synonymous with state-sanctioned torture.
Upon arrival, Min recounted being immediately subjected to beatings by men in military attire, a prelude to interrogation aimed at breaking his will. While he considered himself fortunate to have endured only three days of physical abuse due to being arrested later in a case, his younger brother’s experience was far more harrowing. Min claimed his brother, arrested in 1986, was so brutally tortured that he attempted suicide by biting his wrist veins before interrogators intervened.
The range of torture methods employed at the Namyeong-dong facility, according to Min, was extensive and cruel. Beyond electric shocks and the dreaded “chicken roasting,” detainees faced forced water intake through their nostrils and the insertion of objects into their genitals. The overarching objective, Min explained, was to manufacture a fabricated large-scale pro-North Korean conspiracy, implicating students and workers, thereby attempting to discredit opposition leader Kim Dae-jung, who would later become president.
Yoo Sook-yeol, a former journalist arrested in 1980, shared her own terrifying account in a 2012 article. She described a large man, later identified as Lee, sitting on her abdomen while she was bound to a waterboard. Water was poured over a towel placed on her face, inducing a state of terror that left her shivering uncontrollably, even in warm weather. The cold, she explained, was not physical but born from profound fear. She also witnessed a cup of water mixed with red chilli powder, clearly prepared for further torture.
The Lingering Scars of Torture
Among the most severely victimized was former lawmaker Kim Geun-tae, who endured 22 days of relentless torture at the Namyeong-dong facility after his arrest in 1985. While leading a student activist group, he was subjected to sleep deprivation, electric shocks, water torture, and the agonizing “wing-breaking” technique, where his arms were twisted behind his back. Ultimately, he was forced to sign a confession. His harrowing experience was chronicled in his 1987 memoir, “Memories of Lee Geun-an.”
Kim described the torture as a sensation of his head splitting open, accompanied by a terror akin to death. The electric currents surging through his body felt like his blood vessels were being twisted and his nerves pulled taut before being severed. The physical and psychological trauma he suffered was profound and lasting, contributing to his later development of Parkinson’s disease and cerebral venous thrombosis. Kim Geun-tae, who went on to lead the Democratic Party, passed away in 2011.
A Symbol of Change, Not Reconciliation
Following the 1987 pro-democracy uprising, Lee evaded capture until his arrest in 1999. By then, the statute of limitations had expired for most of the charges he faced, leading to a single conviction for which he received a seven-year sentence. Many other allegations went unprosecuted due to expired statutes, insufficient evidence, and the systemic cover-ups prevalent under the authoritarian regime.
Upon his release, Lee presented himself as a remorseful pastor. However, in a 2010 interview, he vehemently denied his involvement in abuse, rejecting the label “torture expert” and preferring to be known as an “interrogation expert.” He characterized interrogation as a “fierce battle of wits,” an “art” that he felt he had failed to perfect beautifully. Disturbingly, he also stated he would act the same way again if given the opportunity.
Ironically, the very Namyeong-dong facility where Lee inflicted such suffering has been transformed into a symbol of resistance and the regime’s downfall. The 1987 torture and death of student Park Jong-cheol at this site ignited nationwide protests that ultimately paved the way for democratic reforms. The site has since been repurposed as a pro-democracy museum, with its interrogation rooms preserved as a stark testament to the dark chapter of South Korea’s history.
