Injured Veterans Association and Meritorious Persons Association Urge Director of May Mothers' House to Resign
May Mothers' House 'No Response'... Replaced with Rice Ball Sharing Event
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] As opposition sentiments spread throughout the local community over the 5·18 organizations and Special Forces Comrades Association's reconciliation 'National Joint Declaration Ceremony,' it appears that the 5·18-related groups are heading toward a breakdown.
Eventually, two 5·18 public law organizations even called for the resignation of Kim Hyang-mi, director of the May 18 Mothers' House, who strongly criticized the declaration ceremony as a 'fake political show.'
On the 17th at 11 a.m., the May 18 Injured Association and the Meritorious Persons Association held a 'Rally to Urge Director Kim Hyung-mi's Resignation' in front of the May Mothers' House in Yangnim-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, and read a statement.
About 100 members of the 5·18 Injured Association and Meritorious Persons Association held a 'Rally to Urge the Resignation of Director Kim Hyang-mi' at 11 a.m. on the 17th in front of the May 18 Mothers' House in Yangrim-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City.
During the rally, they engaged in verbal disputes and physical altercations with members of the 5·18 Corrective Movement Alliance who were guarding the May 18 Mothers' House.
The two organizations condemned, "The national declaration was initially planned with the consent of the bereaved families' association, but Director Kim used personal emotions to coerce and threaten the bereaved families' association president," "causing the event, which was meant to take the first step toward uncovering the truth of 5·18, to fall into chaos."
They further claimed, "Director Kim opposes the event because she feels insecure about losing her justification for existence due to the resolution of social conflicts."
On the other hand, the May 18 Mothers' House maintained a 'no response' stance. Instead of holding a counter-rally, they organized a rice ball sharing event embodying the spirit of sharing, solidarity, and community. They did not issue a separate statement but referred to the condemnation statement released on the 13th.
Previously, the May 18 Mothers' House stated, "We do not oppose reconciliation and forgiveness either, but we find no sincerity in their claims," adding, "Is reconciliation and forgiveness even appropriate when those responsible for the crime of treasonous murder to usurp state power have yet to reveal the truth about the shooting orders and secret burials?"
They emphasized, "The Special Forces Comrades Association is an organization whose first president was Jeong Ho-yong, who massacred Gwangju citizens alongside Chun Doo-hwan," and asked, "Has the main perpetrator of the Gwangju massacre ever confessed the truth or apologized in the 43 years since the massacre occurred?"
Meanwhile, the three May 18 organizations (Bereaved Families Association, Injured Association, Meritorious Persons Association) planned a 'National Joint Declaration Ceremony' with the Special Forces Comrades Association on the 19th.
Although the purpose was to achieve harmony through 'inclusion and reconciliation,' many civic groups, including the May 18 Mothers' House, criticized it as a 'fake political show,' insisting that truth investigation and sincere apologies from the martial law troops should come first.
Moreover, the Bereaved Families Association, one of the three May 18 organizations, declared after an emergency board meeting that it would not participate in the event, leading to criticism that this event is a half-hearted ceremony lacking harmony and consent among the May 18 groups.
Additionally, the 5·18 People's Uprising Mobile Strike Force Comrades Association held a press conference the day before criticizing the event, and 108 local civic and social organizations strongly condemned the Injured Association and Meritorious Persons Association for promoting a joint declaration that defines the martial law troops who massacred Gwangju citizens as victims.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
