'The Spirit of May, Justice of Today!' This Year's 5·18 Commemoration Events in Full Swing

Emphasizing Truth Investigation... Direction 'Together with Future Generations' Included

Pre-event Stage Featuring a Total Play Reflecting the Spirit, Meaning, and Value of 518

Photo Exhibitions, Memorial Ceremonies, and Performances Held Na

This year's 43rd anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising commemorative events will be held under the theme of , taking place vibrantly not only in Gwangju but also across the country.

The May 18 People's Uprising Commemoration Event Promotion Committee held a press conference on the morning of the 10th at Jeonil Building in Dong-gu, Gwangju, introducing the schedule and production intentions of the eve event.
[Photo by Min Hyun-gi]

The 43rd May 18 People's Uprising Commemoration Committee held a press conference on the morning of the 10th at Jeonil Building 245 in Dong-gu, Gwangju, to explain the schedule, production intent, and composition of the eve event.

This year's event embraces the tasks of uncovering the truth, punishing those responsible, including the May 18 spirit in the preamble of the constitution, and responding to historical distortion, with the principle and direction of sharing the occasion with future generations.

Starting with the 43rd May 18 People's Uprising Nationwide Rally on the 13th, various programs have been prepared. The representative event, the eve event, will be held on the afternoon of the 17th around Geumnam-ro.

The May Citizen Festival, May Pungmul Gut, and Democratic Peace March will proceed in their traditional forms. At the May Citizen Festival, which is held together with citizens, various street stage programs will be presented, along with experience booths that inform the truth of May 18 and the May spirit, as well as performances by various cultural and artistic groups.

Furthermore, the 'Democratic Peace March,' which marches from Suchang Elementary School in Dong-gu to the Geumnam-ro eve event stage, will maintain its traditional format. Notably, about 3,000 participants including citizens, civic groups, and delegations from Asian community countries are expected to join this year's Democratic Peace March, making it the largest ever, according to the event committee.

Finally, the eve event will feature a total play titled "Until the End, We Are the Just!" which embodies the spirit, meaning, and value of May 18.

The total play, involving about 150 artists including local theater groups and singers, is prepared with the intention of overcoming the ongoing wars and inequalities worldwide through Gwangju's May spirit of great unity, concluding with all performers on stage singing the "Gwangju Departure Song," honoring the sacrifices of May 18 Gwangju.

In addition, this year's May 18 People's Uprising commemorative events have expanded nationwide.

Until the 18th, photo exhibitions, commemorative ceremonies, and May spirit succession performances themed around May will be held in various ways across the country, including Wonju in Gangwon Province, Gyeonggi, Gyeongnam, Daegu, Daejeon, Busan, Ulsan, and Sejong.

Park Jeong-woon, the general director of the 43rd May 18 People's Uprising Commemoration Eve Event, said, "We hope to widely publicize the many histories rooted in Gwangju so that they are remembered not only in Gwangju but nationwide," adding, "We are planning events that allow the May 18 Democratic Uprising to be recalled not only in May but throughout all four seasons."