5·18 Group Donates 'Seonggeum' to Daegu Amid COVID-19 Spread

Jimanwon Compensation Fund Establishment

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The 5·18 organizations have decided to send the compensation money won from Ji Man-won as a donation to the citizens of Daegu, where COVID-19 cases are rapidly increasing.

The 5·18 Memorial Foundation and the three May organizations (5·18 Democratic Merit Bereaved Families Association, 5·18 Democratic Movement Injured Association, 5·18 Detained Injured Association) announced on the 28th that to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the ‘2·28 Democratic Movement,’ they will provide a donation of 4 million won to support citizens in the Daegu area who are struggling due to COVID-19.

The 2·28 Democratic Movement is a legally recognized commemorative day marking the event on February 28, 1960, when high school students in Daegu protested against the authorities’ decision to hold school on a Sunday to prevent opposition party election campaigns.

The 5·18 organizations decided to support this from the public interest fund created with the compensation money obtained through lawsuits against Ji Man-won and others who spread false information about the 5·18 incident.

They stated, “As comrades in the democratization movement and members of the nation, we empathize with and stand in solidarity with the difficulties faced by the Daegu community,” adding, “We hope that our small contribution can help the Daegu community overcome these hardships even a little.”

They continued, “We sincerely hope and support that the citizens of Daegu will overcome these difficult circumstances.”

Furthermore, they said, “The citizens’ hard struggle to protect our community in Daegu is no different from that of the democratization movement,” and added, “The 5·18 families support the citizens of Daegu in overcoming today’s difficulties. Let us overcome this together.”