5·18 Foundation and Gwangju City File Complaint Against Former National Assembly Member Lee Young-il

‘False Information Dissemination’ Charges... "Strict Punishment"

The 5·18 Memorial Foundation and Gwangju City filed a complaint with the Gwangju Police Agency on the 20th against former National Assembly member Lee Young-il for violating the "Special Act on the 5·18 Democratic Movement, etc." (prohibition of spreading false information). Photo by 5·18 Memorial Foundation

On the 21st, the 5·18 Memorial Foundation and Gwangju City announced that they have filed a complaint with the police against former National Assembly member Lee Young-il for violating the "Special Act on the 5·18 Democratization Movement, etc." (prohibition of spreading false information). The complaint was submitted to the Gwangju Police Agency on the morning of the 20th.

Former Assemblyman Lee contributed a column to the online media New Daily on May 26 of this year, stating, "If North Korea's active operations are not involved in all citizen uprisings occurring in Korea, internal rebellion-type riots like those in Gwangju would never occur," and "The armory was raided, the Gwangju Prison, a facility for detaining unconverted North Korean spies, was repeatedly exposed to attacks aimed at destruction, and military armored vehicles in factories were seized and driven out to be used as means of citizen resistance. These must undoubtedly be regarded as products of North Korean communist faction operations."

The courts and the National Intelligence Service have repeatedly confirmed the falsehood of the North Korean special forces' "5·18 intervention theory." Additionally, the National Report of the 5·18 Democratization Movement Truth Investigation Committee has investigated and announced the falsehood multiple times.

Nevertheless, these claims continue to cause controversy and conflict both online and offline. The Foundation and Gwangju City decided to file the complaint to put an end to this social conflict.

Won Soon-seok, chairman of the 5·18 Memorial Foundation, stated, "Distorting and belittling the 5·18 Democratization Movement is a secondary harm to the victims and their families," and added, "It must be strictly investigated and punished."