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There must needs be a way of preventing the return of these scoundrels. In addition, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is very appealing. Not only South Africa, but South Korea used the device to address the appalling actions of its leaders during the 1980s in particular. Torture was rife, citizens were repressed and jailed for dissent, and there was the infamous Kwangju massacres. During ex-President Noh's administration, the commission turned over all those rocks, including ex-dictators Roh and Chun especially, and from my viewpoint as something of an outsider, it was very effective. Full testimony and truth in exchange for no prosecution. But certainly complete disgrace and loss of any reputation. South Korea has a much more group-oriented, Confucian society, as opposed to our highly individualistic culture, so group opprobrium is much more effective there. Therefore we would need additional mechanisms to ensure that those disgraced individuals could not return to power, but beyond that, I think the commission idea would work well.