Elders Actively Support and Endorse the Activities of the 5·18 Special Committee
The 5·18 Special Committee of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council (Chairperson Assembly Member Jeong Da-eun) held a meeting with democratic veterans to listen to their valuable opinions.
According to the Gwangju Metropolitan Council on the 25th, the special committee members introduced the background of the launch of the 5·18 Special Committee and its activities so far to the veterans attending the meeting that morning. They then attentively listened to the veterans’ vivid experiences and insights regarding the May 18 Democratic Uprising and the committee’s activities.
The veterans expressed active support and encouragement for the activities of the 5·18 Special Committee, which was launched during the 9th council, and requested that ways be created to inherit and develop the spirit of May 18 together with the citizens.
Ahn Seong-rye, a former city council member who served as a Gwangju city council member from the 1st to the 3rd term and was the first to launch the 5·18 Special Committee as its inaugural chairperson, said, “As someone who founded the first 5·18 Special Committee during the harsh period of 1992, I feel deeply moved,” and urged, “I hope the committee’s activities do not get bogged down in conflicts among May-related groups but work to newly establish the status of May.”
Jeon Hong-jun, an advisor to the Gwangju Democratic Movement Comrades Association, proposed the goal the committee should aim for, saying, “From the Donghak Peasant Revolution to the anti-Japanese movement and the May 18 Democratic Uprising, there is a consistent background of occurrence,” and “It is important to ensure that tragedies like May 18 never happen again in this region.”
He also shared anecdotes about martyrs Yoon Sang-won and Park Kwan-hyun from 1980.
He lamented, “They are now lying in the cemetery,” and, choking up, said, “Please create new visions to move beyond May toward a radiant city, Gwangju.”
Kim Jeong-gil, the standing representative of the South Side Committee for the Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration, said, “There are many young assembly members in the special committee, so Gwangju is very hopeful,” and pointed out, “It is time to newly establish the definition of the nature of May 18 and the concept of the May 18 spirit.”
At the meeting, the veterans and the 5·18 Special Committee members shared the view that the spirit of the May 18 Democratic Uprising must be fully passed on to future generations.
Jeong Da-eun, chairperson of the 5·18 Special Committee, said, “There is a serious sense of crisis as the activities of the national-level 5·18 Truth Investigation Committee are ending this year, which will determine the future of May 18.” She became emotional while explaining the cancellation of the third citizen forum, which was prepared under the theme of ‘Diagnosis and Tasks of Truth Investigation’ by the 5·18 Special Committee.
Meanwhile, eight veterans attended the meeting, including former Gwangju city council member Ahn Seong-rye, advisor Jeon Hong-jun of the Gwangju Democratic Movement Comrades Association, standing representative Kim Jeong-gil of the South Side Committee for the Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration, advisor Kim Sang-yoon of the Yoon Sang-won Memorial Association, former president Kim Hu-sik of the (Corporation) 5·18 Democratic Movement Disabled Veterans Association, former YWCA Secretary-General Park Kyung-rin, founding member of the Teachers’ Union for True Education Lim Chu-seop, and former director of the Human Rights Education Center Seo Myeong-won.
From the city council, 5·18 Special Committee Chairperson Jeong Da-eun, Vice Chairperson Myeong Jin, and members Lee Gwi-soon, Chae Eun-ji, and Ahn Pyeong-hwan attended.
Meanwhile, former city council member Ahn Seong-rye also handed over materials from the first 5·18 Special Committee activities of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council to Chairperson Jeong Da-eun.
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