Yoon: "Gwangju, the Holy Land of Democratization... The May Spirit is the Cornerstone of National Unity"

Attended by People Power Party lawmakers, ministers, and aides... Commitment to Ending Conflict and Dispelling Honam Neglect Theory

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] On the 18th, President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the May 18 Democratic Uprising Commemoration Ceremony and said, "The spirit of May, which defended liberal democracy with blood, is the cornerstone of national unity." President Yoon, who did not mention ‘unity’ in his inauguration speech on the 10th, directly referred to the value of unity on the occasion of the democratization movement commemoration. Along with this, President Yoon ignited the possibility of constitutional amendment discussions in the National Assembly by stating, "The spirit of May is the very spirit of the liberal democratic constitution." On the same day, President Yoon also unusually led the singing of the ‘March for the Beloved’ together with all attendees as a conservative government president.

On the morning of the day, President Yoon arrived in Gwangju by taking a special KTX train from Seoul Station with about 100 members of the People Power Party, ministers from various departments, and aides from the presidential office.

At the commemoration ceremony, President Yoon referred to Gwangju as the ‘holy land of democratization’ and read a commemorative speech that he personally revised several times. President Yoon said, "We remember the May resistance 42 years ago that defended the values of liberal democracy and human rights with blood," and interpreted the May 18 Democratic Uprising as a resistance for democracy and freedom by adding, "Facing the pain of that day head-on, we have developed liberal democracy on this land."

In particular, President Yoon emphasized, "The spirit of May is precisely the cornerstone of national unity," and urged, "Let us work together so that the power of justice and truth embraced by May may shine eternally beyond the times." This message was a condensed call for national unity, and he also stated, "I am confident that the spirit of May will unite our people and protect us in times of crisis and challenge."

President Yoon also included some content related to his campaign promise during the presidential election to enshrine the ‘May 18 spirit in the preamble of the constitution.’ He said, "The spirit of May is the restoration of universal values and the very spirit of the liberal democratic constitution," and added, "That spirit belongs to all of us and is a precious asset of the Republic of Korea, commanding us to strongly resist all illegal acts that threaten freedom and human rights even now." However, since this pertains to constitutional amendment matters, it is interpreted that President Yoon avoided specific mentions.

The part where the Yoon Suk-yeol administration led the singing of the popular protest song symbolizing May 18, ‘March for the Beloved,’ is read as expressing a will to end conflicts beyond unity. It also reflects an intention to dispel the theory of neglect of Honam by conservative governments. The Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations either excluded this song from the ceremony order or played it as a chorus rather than leading the singing.