Gwangju City "Strengthening Solidarity of Democratic History Cities Buma-May"

45th Anniversary of the Buma Uprising... "Democratic Spirit to Be Included in the Constitution"
Kang Ki-jung "Thanks to the Courageous Citizens of Busan and Masan"

Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung visited Busan Democracy Park in Jung-gu, Busan on August 16, toured the memorial facilities after paying respects at the Neokgirim Yard.
[Photo by Gwangju City]

On the 16th, Gwangju City announced on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising, "Gwangju will strengthen solidarity as a democratic historical city together with Busan and Masan, and work together to ensure that the history of democracy in the Republic of Korea becomes a shared asset of humanity."

Gwangju City promised, "It is our duty to inscribe the spirit of May 18 and other democratization movement histories in the preamble of the Constitution, and it is our responsibility to establish this as a great democratic history that all citizens proudly remember and learn from."

The city stated, "The Bu-Ma Uprising overthrew the Yushin dictatorship, and its spirit was inherited by the May 18 Democratic Movement and the June 10 Democratic Uprising, protecting democracy in this land. We honor the noble intentions of the spirits who sacrificed their lives for democracy and bow our heads in remembrance of their precious sacrifices."

On the same day, Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung commemorated the Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising by engraving the Bu-Ma spirit in his heart and posted on social media (SNS), "To the citizens of Busan and Masan who stood up with courage during the darkest hour before dawn, thank you." Mayor Kang emphasized, "The Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising on October 16, 1979, was the overture to the May 18 Democratic Movement in 1980. Let us shoulder together and move forward toward the restored democracy."

Earlier, in August, Mayor Kang visited Busan and resolved to join forces with the Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising Memorial Foundation and the Busan Democratic Uprising Memorial Association to include the spirit of the Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising and the May 18 Democratic Movement in the preamble of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Gwangju City is strengthening democratic solidarity cooperation with the Daegu 2.28 Democratic Movement and the June Democratic Uprising. Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk have embarked on establishing a Honam region democratic historical city network. In May, they signed a 'Mutual Development Agreement' with Jeju Island and are promoting exchanges for peace and human rights between Jeju 4.3 and Gwangju 5.18.