KUNG Kim
Pseudonym: TCW-362
Cases: Case 002/01
Category: Witness
Background and Role
Kung Kim was a commune councillor.
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He was an ordinary soldier during the attack on Phnom Penh and was promoted to unit chief when the city was conquered.
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He testified as a witness in Case 002 in relation to the attack on Phnom Penh, the treatment of Khmer Republic soldiers and civilians, and the military reporting structure.
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The Trial Chamber relied on Kung’s testimony in finding that: (i) Khmer Rouge forces from across Cambodia planned to attack and evacuate Phnom Penh; and (ii) Khmer Rouge soldiers fought and killed Khmer Republic soldiers and civilians. It also referred to his testimony in its findings relating to the general army and reporting structure of the CPK.
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Attack and Evacuation in Phnom Penh
Kung described that there were aerial bombardments during the surge of attacks by soldiers several months before the attack on Phnom Penh, which resulted in many casualties.
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Although he had heard that different military zones would attack from different directions,
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he only became aware of the plan to evacuate when he entered Phnom Penh with his platoon and noticed people were on the move.
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During the evacuation, he was in charge of the area north of Wat Phnom to Chrouy Changvar Bridge.
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He was ordered by his platoon to clean houses and roads,
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cut water supplies to force people to leave their houses,
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conduct searches, and drag resisters out of their houses.
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When the plan to evacuate was executed, Kung described that the situation was chaotic and the streets were crowded with many people marching out of the city
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with their belongings, which included money and jewellery.
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He also noted that there were many civilians on the road during the first three days of the evacuation, but there were fewer people in a week’s time
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and only pockets of remaining soldiers or civilians one month later.
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Kung further described that he saw dead bodies during the periods of heavy fighting after the evacuation.
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He added that there were many corpses, and he was ordered to push them from the road into the river using tractors.
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The Trial Chamber referred to Kung’s testimony in finding that: (i) although some of the aerial attacks were attributed to the Americans, they were more likely the result of action by remaining Khmer Republic forces;
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(ii) there was a coordinated plan for Khmer Rouge forces from various zones across Cambodia to enter and attack Phnom Penh from all directions
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and to instruct the population to leave the city;
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(iii) various Khmer Rouge divisions took control of different areas of Phnom Penh and forcibly expelled residents and their belongings out of their houses;
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(iv) most people took what little they could during the evacuation;
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(v) a week after the evacuation, the city was less chaotic and most people were evacuated;
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and (vi) there was significant evidence of wounded people or dead bodies lying along the roads leading out of Phnom Penh.
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Treatment of Khmer Republic Officials and Soldiers
According to Kung, there was no gunfire or fighting during the evacuation.
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Khmer Republic soldiers who did not resist were spared and could be evacuated, but those who resisted were shot,
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though fights broke out between the Khmer Rouge and Khmer Republic soldiers after the evacuation of civilians.
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Khmer Republic soldiers shed their uniforms and blended into the civilian population to avoid being shot.
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The Trial Chamber referred to Kung’s testimony in finding that: (i) various Khmer Rouge units received orders that Khmer Republic soldiers who surrendered their arms could be evacuated with the population or re-educated;
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(ii) as the evacuation proceeded, Khmer Rouge soldiers were instructed to kill all identified Khmer Republic soldiers;
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and (iii) Khmer Rouge soldiers exchanged fire with and killed some of the Khmer Republic soldiers.
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General Army and Reporting Structure
Kung described the types of orders he had received, as well as the chain of command and reporting officers.
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He stated that he was no longer part of the zone military upon arriving in Phnom Penh, but rather belonged to the party centre.
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The Trial Chamber cited Kung’s testimony in finding that Pol Pot announced the formation of a new Revolutionary Army of Kampuchea to bring a number of zone military brigades under the control of the Central Committee and the command of the General Staff headed by Son Sen.
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