May Organization "Yoon Seok-yeol, who defended 5·18 culprit Jeon Du-hwan, must apologize immediately"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The May 18 organizations have urged Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party presidential primary candidate, to apologize for his remarks defending Jeon Du-hwan.

The May 18 Memorial Foundation and three May 18 organizations (Democratic Merit Family Association, Democratic Movement Disabled Veterans Association, Detained and Injured Association) stated in a press release on the 19th, “Former Prime Minister Yoon Seok-yeol, who defended Jeon Du-hwan, the mastermind behind the May 18 Democratic Movement massacre, must apologize immediately.”

On the previous day, Yoon visited the Haeundae-gap Party Member Council in Haeundae District, Busan, and said, “There are people who say that President Jeon Du-hwan did well in politics except for the coup and May 18,” adding, “There are quite a few people in Honam who say such things.”

After controversy arose, Yoon’s camp explained, “Since he said ‘except for May 18,’ there is not much to be concerned about,” and added, “He was referring to politics such as delegating detailed tasks to experts.”

The organizations said, “In 2019, Kim Soon-rye, Kim Jin-tae, and Lee Jong-myung, members of the Liberty Korea Party, the predecessor of the People Power Party, distorted May 18 in the National Assembly and hurt the bereaved families and the public,” and added, “We remember that Kim Jong-in, the leader of the United Future Party’s Emergency Committee, knelt before the May 18 spirits at the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery last year and apologized for the behavior of some members of the United Future Party who damaged the spirit of May 18, including the remarks of those three members.”

They continued, “Nevertheless, we cannot help but ask whether the People Power Party truly remembers the May 18 Democratic Movement as a history of democracy in the Republic of Korea and sincerely apologizes to the May 18 spirits and the citizens of Gwangju,” and emphasized, “Candidate Yoon must immediately apologize for his reckless remarks defending Jeon Du-hwan, and the People Power Party must officially apologize to the May 18 organizations and the public and present measures to prevent recurrence.”