'Promised to Visit Gwangju Every Year' Kept by Yoon, 43rd 5·18 Memorial Ceremony Held in the Rain

Over 3,000 Attendees... Ruling and Opposition Parties Fully Mobilize for 'Honam Outreach'

Yoon: "The Spirit of May is the Spirit of the Constitution Itself"... Also Pays Tribute at the Memorial Site

The 43rd anniversary ceremony of the Gwangju 5·18 Democratization Movement was held on the 18th at the National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, amid rain.

This year, 3,000 people were invited to the ceremony, 1,000 more than last year.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is attending the 43rd anniversary 5.18 Memorial Ceremony and delivering a commemorative speech.
[Photo by Yoon Jamin]

President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the ceremony this year as well, following his attendance at the 42nd anniversary ceremony held after his inauguration last year. President Yoon, who promised last year to visit Gwangju every year, became the first conservative party president to attend the 5·18 ceremony two years in a row. He entered together with the May Mothers, laid flowers and incense, and then took his seat.

The ceremony proceeded with the national anthem, an opening video, a progress report, a tribute performance by the May Mothers, the president’s commemorative speech, a commemorative performance, and the singing of the "March for the Beloved."

Students from Jihan Elementary School in Junam Village, where a bus shooting incident and massacre of civilians occurred in 1980, sang the national anthem, and an opening video featuring the "5·18 Clock Tower," which witnessed Gwangju at the time, was shown.

Next, a tribute performance was presented in video form telling the stories of the bereaved families who devoted their lives to preserving the spirit of May Gwangju, and pansori singer Lee Bong-geun dedicated the song "Eomni" by Na Hoon-a as a tribute song.

In his commemorative speech, President Yoon said, "I pay deep respect to the sacrifices of the democratic spirits" and "I extend my deepest condolences to the patriots and their families."

He also emphasized, "Liberal democracy has been protected by the sacrifices of many," and "The spirit of May must be preserved as the very spirit of the Constitution."

He continued, "If we remember and inherit the spirit of May, we must boldly confront and fight against all forces and challenges that threaten freedom and democracy, and have such practical courage," adding, "If we do not fight against internal and external challenges that cause a crisis in democracy, it would be shameful to speak of the spirit of May."

Furthermore, he said, "All of us must protect and practice liberal democracy, which faces threats and challenges, with the spirit of May, and achieve industrial advancement and economic prosperity with the spirit of creativity and innovation," adding, "That is the way to realize the spirit of May and to repay the democratic spirits."

He concluded by saying, "I pray for the rest of the democratic spirits."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is entering the 43rd May 18th Memorial Ceremony venue together with the Mothers of May.[Photo by Yoon Jamin]

After President Yoon’s commemorative speech, a video titled "Together Connecting May," featuring public interviews about 5·18, was screened, followed immediately by a large choir composed of youths from Gwangju, Seoul, Daegu, and Busan singing "Bawiseom."

This year’s ceremony, as with last year, ended with all attendees standing together to sing the "March for the Beloved."

After the ceremony, President Yoon paid respects at the graves of martyrs Jeon Young-jin, Kim Jae-young, and Jung Yoon-sik, along with the heads of 5·18 public organizations and the director of the Veterans Affairs Office.

Meanwhile, this year’s ceremony saw the full participation of political parties from both the ruling and opposition camps. This is analyzed as an effort to court the Honam region ahead of next year’s general election, which is one year away.

In particular, the ruling People Power Party, except for lawmakers with reasons such as Tae Young-ho, who is currently under suspension of party membership and self-reflecting, Kim Woong, who already visited Gwangju on the 15th, and Lee Yong-ho, who is on an overseas business trip, had virtually all its members attend the ceremony.