Assemblyman Song Gap-seok: "The 5.18 Suppression Unit's History Still Distorted as a 'Riot'"

A Comprehensive Survey of Military Unit History Is Needed

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] According to Rep. Song Gap-seok (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangju Seo-gu Gap), upon reviewing the unit histories of the 3rd Airborne Brigade, 7th Airborne Brigade, 11th Airborne Brigade, and Special Warfare Command, which were deployed during the suppression operation of the May 18 Democratic Movement in Gwangju, it was confirmed that the May 18 Democratic Movement was described as the "Gwangju Incident, riot, disturbance," and the citizens of Gwangju were labeled as "rioters, armed rioters, extremists, and socially undesirable elements."

On the 17th, Rep. Song stated that distorted records remained regarding the situation at that time.

The records maintained the logic of the new military regime that suppressed the May 18 Democratic Movement, including phrases such as "subversive elements and riot instigators from Seoul infiltrated the Gwangju area to fabricate and spread false rumors," "demonstrators became armed rioters, leading to a state of lawlessness," "allowance of communist propaganda materials," and "Kim Dae-jung's followers and other extremists incited and manipulated students and residents in the Gwangju area."

Rep. Song criticized strongly, saying, "The May 18 Democratic Movement was defined by the Supreme Court ruling in 1997 as a legitimate act by the citizens of Gwangju to protect the constitution against the national disorder caused by the new military regime led by Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo. However, the military authorities still leave the unit histories that describe the new military regime's logic, which massacred the citizens of Gwangju in May 1980, unchanged."

He continued, "Now, local governments are taking actions to correct distorted history in Korea, such as laying down the monuments of high-ranking officials who collaborated with the Japanese during the colonial period and installing markers that reveal their crimes. The military should not be an exception. Through a full investigation and revision of military unit histories, the truth and noble values of the May 18 Democratic Movement must be taught to the 530,000 soldiers," he emphasized.

Furthermore, he added, "Historical distortion is not limited to the May 18 Democratic Movement but is also present in military records concerning the April 19 Revolution and the Bu-Ma Uprising. The Minister of National Defense and military authorities must form a 'Task Force for Revising Distorted Military Unit Histories' and urgently correct the distorted history. This is the true way to apologize sincerely to the citizens and bereaved families who were sacrificed by the military," he concluded.