Why Was the 'Reconciliation Event' with the Special Forces Society Forced Ahead Despite Strong Local Opposition?

518 Injured and Meritorious Persons Associations, Special Forces Society Hold Joint Declaration Ceremony

Event Marred as Bereaved Families Absent and Civic Groups Protest, Diminishing Its Significance

Organizers State "Our Greatest Hope Is t

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Despite strong opposition from the local community, and even with the bereaved families' association?one of the three May 18 organizations?declaring non-participation, the 5·18 Injured Association and Merit Association, together with the Special Forces Comrades Association, pushed forward with the 'Reconciliation and Inclusion National Joint Declaration Ceremony.' What was the reason for this?

Regarding this, a representative of the Injured Association stated that it was to extend a hand of 'reconciliation and inclusion' first and to embrace in order to advance the truth-finding of the May 18 incident.

On the 19th, the 5·18 Injured Association and Merit Association invited the Special Forces Comrades Association to Gwangju and held the 'National Joint Declaration Ceremony.'

On the morning of the 19th, the 5·18 Victims Association and the Meritorious Persons Association held a 'Joint National Declaration Ceremony' with the Special Forces Comrades Association at the 5·18 Memorial Culture Center in Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City.
[Photo by Jin-Hyung Park]

The event was attended by about 300 people, including Hwang Ilbong, president of the Injured Association, Jeong Seongguk, president of the Merit Association, Choi Ikbong, chairman of the Special Forces Comrades Association, and Jeon Sangbu, president of the Special Forces Comrades Association. The program included progress reports, encouragement speeches and congratulatory addresses, declaration reading, and a declaration signing ceremony.

They emphasized that the actions of the martial law troops had unavoidable aspects as soldiers who follow the principle of strict obedience to orders and that they should be regarded not as 'perpetrators' but as 'victims.'

From a magnanimous perspective, they proposed a path toward national unity, pledging to inherit and develop the spirit of the democratization movement and to jointly promote the annual joint memorial services at the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery and the National Seoul Memorial Cemetery.

However, earlier, the May Mothers' House and civic groups outright denied the event's purpose, calling it a 'fake political show,' and eventually, the bereaved families' association?one of the three May 18 organizations?declared non-participation, stating that 'truth-finding and a sincere apology must be made,' thus branding the event as a half-hearted affair.

It is analyzed that the May organizations, composed of direct victims from May 1980, made a significant decision to forgive the martial law troops who trampled on them and brutally killed their friends and children, in order to take a step forward in the stalled truth-finding process.

In fact, this atmosphere is not a recent development. Due to the military's unique nature of valuing strict obedience to orders as a matter of life and death, even if soldiers knew the orders from above were unjust, they could not refuse, so there have been voices for years that the ordinary soldiers deployed in operations should also be seen as victims in a different sense.

'They fired guns, but there is no one who gave the firing order.' For 43 years, people have searched for the person who gave the firing order and called for truth-finding, but the light of truth-finding is still faint.

The two 5·18 organizations are confident that if the spirit of reconciliation and inclusion conveyed by this event is fully received, it will become the first button to unravel many questions about May 18, including the search for the firing order and the facts about secret burials.

In fact, it is known that many former martial law troops have expressed willingness to provide the May 18 organizations with diaries and writings they have kept about the situation at the time while promoting the event.

The reason the two 5·18 organizations pushed forward with the event despite strong opposition from the local community is that beyond simply granting legal immunity, opening hearts to exchange and communicate can lead to sincere apologies and decisive testimonies and evidence that can achieve truth-finding.

A representative of the 5·18 Injured Association said, "In fact, some of the martial law troops at the time want to come to Gwangju, kneel down, apologize, and testify for truth-finding, but due to the social atmosphere, they are afraid of being pointed at and attacked if they step forward," adding, "The military leadership responsible in 1980 are now mostly deceased. Testimonies for the 5·18 truth-finding must come from the ordinary soldiers who were deployed on the ground."

He continued, "We held this event amid friction with the May Mothers' House, the bereaved families' association, and civic groups, but we believe the sincerity of this event's purpose will be understood," adding, "This is not a political show. What we want above all else is the truth-finding and resolution of questions about May 18."