Shin Dong-guk, CEO of NEW Geuruteogi Publishing, Also Reported
Accused of Violating Prohibition on Spreading False Information under the 5·18 Special Act
On the 11th, the May 18 Memorial Foundation and Gwangju City filed a complaint with the Gwangju Police Agency against Kim Gwang-dong, former chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Shin Dong-guk, CEO of NEW Gruteogi Publishing, for violating the prohibition of spreading false information under the May 18 Special Act. Photo by May 18 Memorial Foundation
The May 18 Memorial Foundation, together with Gwangju City, announced on the 11th that they have filed a complaint with the Gwangju Police Agency against former Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Kim Gwang-dong and Shin Dong-guk, CEO of NEW Gruterki Publishing, for violating the prohibition of spreading false information under the Special Act on the May 18 Democratic Movement.
In the complaint, the foundation stated, "Former Chairman Kim attempted to evade legal requirements through indirect rhetoric by asserting the North Korean connection to the May 18 Democratic Movement," and "During his tenure as chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, he responded in the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee plenary session and national audit Q&A that 'he never said North Korean troops intervened in May 18, but there is a possibility that North Korea was involved.'"
It further explained, "While serving as an editorial board member of the online newspaper 'Mirae Hanguk' and director of the National Policy Research Institute, he posted an article titled 'The Republic of Korea is Being Damaged,' which denies the helicopter machine gun shooting during May 18, on 'Mirae Hanguk Weekly' and his personal Naver blog."
CEO Shin claims to be a graduate of ROTC class 16 and to have participated as a lieutenant in the 4th regional unit of the 62nd Battalion, 11th Airborne Brigade under martial law forces suppressing protests in 1980. He has been spreading false information such as the North Korean intervention theory of May 18 through book publishing since August last year.
In his book The Battle of Geumnam-ro: The Great Battle of Geumnam-ro and God's History (The Truth of the May 18 War through Letters to Comrade Won), he claims that ▲ the May 18 Democratic Movement was a ‘war’ carried out by 400 North Korean special forces infiltrators ▲ on May 21, 1980, about 400 North Korean special forces disguised as civilians engaged in combat with martial law troops in front of the Jeonnam Provincial Office ▲ the accused gave the order to fire ▲ and that the ‘Battle of Geumnam-ro,’ in which 412 North Korean special forces were killed, repelled the North Korean Communist Party and saved the nation.
The May 18 Memorial Foundation judged that the claims made by former Chairman Kim and CEO Shin are falsehoods contrary to the objective truth of the May 18 Democratic Movement.
A foundation official said, "Courts and the National Intelligence Service have repeatedly confirmed the falsehood of the North Korean special forces intervention theory in May 18. Even in interviews with Chun Doo-hwan during his lifetime, there was no participation of North Korean special forces in the May 18 Democratic Movement," adding, "The May 18 Truth Commission’s national report also investigated and announced the falsehood multiple times. The accused must present evidence supporting their claim that May 18 was a combat action carried out by North Korean special forces."
Won Soon-seok, chairman of the May 18 Memorial Foundation, said, “Currently, it is difficult to impose criminal liability for defamation on those who distort or disparage May 18 under the law,” and added, “Although historical facts are being disparaged and the honor of May 18 democratic merit recipients and bereaved families is being damaged by exploiting legal loopholes, the legal grounds to prevent this are weak.”
He continued, “This is why related law amendments and the inclusion of the May 18 spirit in the preamble of the Constitution are necessary,” and added, “Throughout the country including Gwangju, banners distorting and disparaging May 18 history by the parties reported by the foundation and Gwangju City are still displayed under legal protection. Law amendments that meet the expectations of citizens are needed.”
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