Speaker Woo Won-sik also absent from Liberation Day ceremony..."President Yoon does not respond to public anger"

"Struggling Between Duties as Head of the Legislature and Descendant of Independence Activists"
"Cannot Accept Celebration Ceremony Without Participation of Gwangbokhoe"

Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won-sik announced that he will not attend the Liberation Day celebration ceremony. After paying respects at the National Cemetery, Speaker Woo plans to meet with independence activists and lay flowers at the Forced Mobilization Laborers' Monument.

In a statement on the night of the 14th, Speaker Woo said, "As the head of the legislative branch, I have deeply pondered between upholding the spirit of the Constitution, mediating between the ruling and opposition parties, and fulfilling my historical duty as a descendant of independence activists." He added, "Regrettably, I cannot accept the Liberation Day celebration ceremony that the public is concerned about and the Liberation Association is not attending. As a representative of the National Assembly, the hall of public opinion, it is difficult to attend a celebration that goes against the will of the majority of the people and the spirit of the Constitution." He continued, "I will not attend the Liberation Day celebration that distorts the independence movement and denigrates history," and expressed, "I apologize to the public that the head of the legislative branch cannot attend a national event."

Speaker Woo Won-shik is holding an emergency press conference on April 24 at the National Assembly regarding the mediation proposal for the Broadcasting Act and other current parliamentary issues. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

He lamented the division of the nation over Liberation Day. Speaker Woo stated, "The nation is divided over Liberation Day, and the Speaker of the National Assembly has no choice but to deliberate on whether to attend the celebration ceremony," adding, "It is truly a regrettable and unfortunate situation."

Speaker Woo placed the responsibility for his absence at the celebration on President Yoon Suk-yeol, who appointed Kim Hyung-seok, known as a New Right figure, as the director of the Independence Hall and did not withdraw the appointment despite opposition from the Liberation Association and others. He said, "The President did not respond at all to the public’s concerns and anger," and added, "He caused wounds to the people and left the Liberation Day celebration half-empty without taking any action. I cannot understand what he intends to leave behind by dividing the people and taking Liberation Day away from them."

Instead of attending the government’s Liberation Day celebration, Speaker Woo plans to pay respects to independence patriots at the National Cemetery, then host a luncheon at the National Assembly with descendants of independence activists. He will also lay flowers at the Forced Mobilization Laborers' Monument.