At 10 AM on the 26th ... Held at 'Uiryeong 4·26 Memorial Park'
A historic first memorial event to soothe 42 years of resentment will be held in Uiryeong.
Gyeongnam Uiryeong-gun announced on the 24th that on the 26th at 10 a.m., the county will host the ‘Uiryeong 4·26 Memorial Ceremony’ and memorial event at the Uiryeong 4·26 Memorial Park.
The Gungnyu shooting incident, known as the ‘Woo Sun-gyeong Incident,’ was a tragic event in which Police Officer Woo Beom-gon, who was on duty as a policeman, indiscriminately opened fire on villagers on April 26, 1982, killing 56 residents. For the first time in 42 years since the Uiryeong 4·26 incident, a memorial ceremony will be held hosted by the county.
At that time, the regime thoroughly covered up the incident through media control, and for many years afterward, no memorial events were attempted by either the public or private sectors.
The 4·26 Memorial Park, where the memorial ceremony will be held, was initiated when County Governor Oh Tae-wan, during a meeting with then-Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum in December 2021, proposed, “The police symbolize public authority, and since this atrocity was committed by the police, the state bears responsibility. Therefore, the government should comfort their spirits with national funds.” This suggestion sparked the formation of a promotion committee and led to the confirmation of the memorial park’s construction.
The county finalized the park’s name, location selection, and compensation negotiations centered around the ‘Uiryeong 4·26 Memorial Park Development Promotion Committee,’ which includes representatives of the bereaved families and the Uiryeong County Governor.
In 2022, the county received 700 million KRW in national funds from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 200 million KRW in provincial funds, and 2.1 billion KRW in county funds, and is currently constructing the memorial park. Honoring the wishes of the bereaved families who hope for the earliest possible memorial ceremony, the first memorial event will be held in front of the completed memorial tower.
The memorial tower was built for the victims, the bereaved families, and the current generation. It embodies three elements in its design: ‘memorial’ for the victims’ spirits, ‘comfort’ for the surviving families, and ‘determination’ for our generation to never repeat such a tragic death. The inscription on the memorial tower records the victims’ names, the incident’s details, and the purpose of the construction.
The memorial ceremony held that day will begin with the unveiling of the memorial tower, followed by a ritual attended by Governor Oh and representatives of the bereaved families. Jeon Do-yeon, a bereaved family member, will read ‘A Letter to Mother,’ followed by a soul-stirring drum performance, Salpuri dance, and a memorial performance by Jang Sa-ik.
Governor Oh said, “I am relieved to be able to ease even a little the hearts of the bereaved families who have endured these heartbreaking long years. All the residents completed this project with a historic sense of mission. Now, Uiryeong will shake off the ‘Woo Sun-gyeong era’ and move toward a new world. I hope you will witness the moment when a new history opens on the 26th here in Uiryeong.”
There was a time when, if a Uiryeong resident said their hometown was “Uiryeong” while away, the perception of Uiryeong was overshadowed by the shameful era highlighted by the “Woo Sun-gyeong Incident.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
