Candidate Sim Sang-jung's associate: "Will not attend former President Roh Tae-woo's condolence visit"
Sim Sang-jung, the Justice Party presidential candidate, is attending the Justice Party presidential candidate-Executive Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 14th, delivering a greeting./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Sim Sang-jung, the presidential candidate of the Justice Party, commented on the government's decision to hold the funeral of the late former President Roh Tae-woo as a state funeral, calling it a "hasty decision."
On the 27th, regarding former President Roh's responsibility for the violent suppression of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, Candidate Sim said, "I positively evaluate the fact that the deceased's son visited Gwangju several times to ask for forgiveness," but emphasized, "Mitigating circumstances cannot override principles."
Candidate Sim pointed out, "It is a historically proven fact through judicial means that the deceased, along with Jeon Du-hwan, led the national rebellion and carried out the May 18 Gwangju massacre," and added, "The public is asking what standards will be applied to Jeon Du-hwan."
She continued, "Claiming that there is no regulation to strip a former president who committed treason of state funeral honors and therefore deciding to hold a state funeral for former President Roh Tae-woo goes against common sense and forgets the weight of history and the wounds of May," and stated, "The decision on the state funeral will confuse our people's values about 'what the nation is.'
Candidate Sim expressed concern, saying, "I worry that today's decision will become another stain on the democracy achieved through blood," and added, "Respecting the deceased's wishes, it is appropriate to hold the funeral simply and quietly." According to a representative from Candidate Sim's camp, she is not expected to pay respects at former President Roh's funeral.
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