Lee Jae-myung "Descendants of Conservative Party Massacre"
Kim Ki-hyun "No Politics Before the Spirit of May"
Presidential Office Considers One-Point Constitutional Amendment as a Phase-Turning Card
Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, held an on-site Supreme Council meeting in Gwangju on the 18th, marking the 43rd anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, and said, "There can be no politics before the spirit of May," adding, "The noble sacrifices of the democratic spirits should not be regarded as the political property of any specific individual or group." This was a remark aimed at the Democratic Party, the dominant party in the Honam region. Kim emphasized, "This misleads the sacrifices of the democratic spirits and is not a duty to the citizens of Gwangju and Honam."
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, posted on his Facebook on the same day, "The conservative government ultimately failed to overcome the 'May 18 denial DNA,' proving itself to be the 'descendants of the massacre,'" and criticized, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration is no different. Although it promised to break away from the conservative government's denial of May 18 and inherit the May 18 spirit, key figures in the administration led the way in spewing outrageous remarks, driving another nail into the hearts of the people and citizens of Gwangju." This was a reminder of Kim Jae-won's opposition to the "inclusion of the May 18 spirit in the preamble of the Constitution."
Lee also addressed President Yoon Seok-yeol, saying, "Apology and reflection are shown through actions, not words," and added, "If the promise to inherit the May 18 spirit is sincere, strict measures must first be taken against government and ruling party figures who have made outrageous remarks." He further emphasized, "As President Yoon said that the 'May spirit is the very spirit of the Constitution,' the pledge to include the 'May 18 spirit in the preamble of the Constitution' must be fulfilled," and urged, "Since it is a pledge of both ruling and opposition parties, there is no reason to hesitate. Let's definitely achieve a 'May 18 spirit one-point constitutional amendment' in line with next year's general election."
However, the Presidential Office and the People Power Party view Lee's call for a 'one-point constitutional amendment' as a 'turning point card.' Following the envelope bribery allegations involving former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil and the recent coin investment scandal of lawmaker Kim Nam-guk, they believe this strategy was brought out to stir regional conflicts to reverse the worsening public opinion. In fact, after the Supreme Council meeting, Kim told reporters, "The inclusion of the May 18 spirit in the preamble of the Constitution is already the President's pledge and our party's position, so we will implement it well," but he avoided giving a direct answer regarding the timing of the 'one-point constitutional amendment.'
About 90 members of the People Power Party boarded a special train to Gwangju this year as well as last year to attend the May 18 commemorative ceremony. In particular, the People Power Party promised to actively implement policies supporting the Honam region. Floor leader Yoon Jae-ok said, "We made several pledges during the last presidential and local elections, and although there are differences in speed, we are steadily implementing them one by one," adding, "Major corporations have rushed to enter the Gwangju complex shopping mall project, and policy efforts have been concentrated on fostering Gwangju as a global future car production base."
He also said, "The special law for relocating the Gwangju military airport was passed last month, and the construction of the Dalbit high-speed railway will be positively considered as a measure to promote harmony between Yeongnam and Honam," and added, "The economic development of Honam has a special meaning beyond the economic achievements of one region, as it allows the Gwangju spirit to bloom anew in line with the times." He concluded, "We will continuously communicate to understand what the citizens of Gwangju and Honam truly desire and proactively find what the party and government can do and make efforts accordingly."
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