Busan Elementary Student Who Stopped 5·18 Distortion Receives "Thank You" from Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijeong

Lee Hojin, 5·18 Distortion Game Report... "Learned About It at School"

Tenol Gassi, Head of Goryeo Family Cafe, Also Awards Scholarship to Lee

Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung expressed his gratitude to Lee Hojin (12, Busan), who reported a game that distorted the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

On the afternoon of the 13th, Mayor Kang invited Lee Hojin and his family to Gwangju City Hall and said, "You have done a great job in preventing the distortion of the May 18 history. I sincerely thank you deeply."

On the afternoon of the 13th, Mayor Kang invited Lee and his family to Gwangju City Hall, inquiring about the process that led to the eradication of historical distortion and commended him. Mayor Kang said, "You have done a great job in preventing the distortion of the May 18 history. I sincerely thank you deeply."

The game reported by Lee Hojin, who lives in Busan, is titled "That Day in Gwangju," set around Geumnam-ro in Gwangju, a historic site of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. The game describes the May 18 Democratic Uprising as a riot, depicts soldiers shooting at citizen militias, and even features North Korean soldiers.

Lee recognized the seriousness of the defamation and distortion of the May 18 event and actively reported it to the media, which led to the game's removal and an official apology from the provider.

Lee’s righteous and courageous actions in protecting the rights of the May 18 victims and their families and preserving the truth of May 18 have become an example for all citizens.

Lee Hojin said, "Thanks to learning about the May 18 history in school, I realized the game was distorting history. I feel relieved that the distorted game was deleted," adding, "I didn’t expect it to go this far, but my friends praised me, and adults complimented me. It was my first time visiting Gwangju, and I especially looked forward to meeting the mayor."

Lee’s mother said, "While we understand that public interest reporting is meaningful and significant, we are also concerned about what might come next," adding, "Since my child acted out of a sense of justice, I want to support him infinitely. I hope this meaningful event will remain a good memory and serve as a great opportunity for growth."

On the same day, Lee spent a meaningful day reflecting on the historical significance of May 18 by visiting historic sites of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, including the former Jeonnam Provincial Office.

Mayor Kang Gi-jung of Gwangju said, "Since political extremism and historical distortion constantly occur in daily life, the efforts of healthy citizens are truly important," adding, "The reason we can still hold hope is because there are ordinary and healthy elementary school citizens who are aware of the problems in the game content and clearly express their rejection and opposition."

He continued, "It is also an important task to prepare well for education and experiences related to May 18 to nurture more such healthy citizens," emphasizing, "Lee Hojin stopped the distortion of May 18 history, and if there is any slander or harassment against this student, we must stop that as well."

Scholarship donations from Gwangju citizens also continued. Ten Olga, the representative of the Korean-Russian family cafe, presented a scholarship to Lee and praised his courageous actions.

Ten Olga said, "The reason Koreans live peacefully in Gwangju is thanks to May 18. Despite tremendous sacrifices at the time, the civic spirit of sharing blood and food embraced the Koreans," adding, "We want to repay the love of the citizens, and I hope Lee Hojin’s courage becomes a proud example not only for our children but also for the next generation."

Meanwhile, Gwangju City has taken legal action not only against the producer of the May 18 history-distorting game "That Day in Gwangju" but also against the creators of retaliatory games targeting the reporting student to protect the whistleblower.

Reports and submissions regarding historical distortion can be made on the Gwangju City website or on the May 18 Memorial Foundation website under the participation section’s May 18 distortion reporting area.