Moon Jae-in's First Official Schedule After Leaving Office: 13th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony for Roh... Ruling and Opposition Leaders Also Gather

Former President Moon Attends Memorial Ceremony After 5 Years
At 8th Anniversary, Promised to Return as a Successful President
Key Figures Attend Following People Power Party's Gwangju 5·18 Democratization Movement Ceremony
Democratic Party Leaders Yoon Ho-jung, Park Ji-hyun, Lee Jae-myung Also Participate

On May 23 last year, attendees paid their respects at the memorial ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of former President Roh Moo-hyun's passing, held in the morning at Bongha Village, Jinyeong-eup, Gimhae-si, Gyeongnam.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] The leadership of the ruling and opposition parties, including the People Power Party and the Democratic Party, are scheduled to gather on the afternoon of the 23rd at Bongha Village in Gimhae, Gyeongnam, to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the late President Roh Moo-hyun's passing. Former President Moon Jae-in, who attended the memorial service for the last time shortly after his inauguration in 2017 and promised to "return as a successful president," along with former party leaders such as Lee Hae-chan, former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, and former National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, are also expected to attend.

According to political circles on the 23rd, the leadership of the People Power Party and the Democratic Party will attend the official memorial service for the 13th anniversary of the late President Roh's passing, held at the Ecological Cultural Park in Bongha Village, Gimhae City, Gyeongnam, at 2 p.m. From the People Power Party, Representative Lee Jun-seok, Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong, Supreme Council Member and Deputy Chair of the Election Committee Jeong Mi-kyung, Party Representative Secretary Park Seong-min, Chief Spokesperson Heo Eun-ah, and Floor Spokesperson Yang Geum-hee are expected to attend together.

Following the full attendance of key ruling party figures at the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement memorial ceremony on the 18th, key party figures are also expected to attend this memorial service to deliver a message of 'unity.'

From the Democratic Party, Co-Chairpersons of the Emergency Response Committee Yoon Ho-jung and Park Ji-hyun, Floor Leader Park Hong-geun, and General Election Committee Chair Lee Jae-myung are expected to attend. Senior party figures who led the cabinet during the late President Roh's tenure, including former leader Lee Hae-chan, former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, and former National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, will also appear. On the afternoon of the 22nd, Kim Min-seok, Co-General Director of the Democratic Party's Election Committee, said at a press briefing, "Passing through Bongha Village, it will be the 24th, and I believe the chase will begin in the competitive regions excluding three Honam areas and Jeju, including Gyeonggi, Incheon, Chungnam, Gangwon, and Sejong," adding, "We plan to appeal for the final rally of supporters who express gloom or distance from politics after the presidential election."

Former President Moon Jae-in, who retired on the 10th and returned to Yangsan, Gyeongnam, is also expected to attend this memorial service as his first public event after retirement. At the memorial service in May 2017, shortly after his inauguration, former President Moon said, "Today will be the last time I attend this place as the incumbent president," and promised, "I will definitely become a successful president and return after fulfilling my duties."