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Mayor Kang Gijeong Visits 5·18 Cemetery... "Value-Based Administration"
Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung attended the '5·18 Spirit Succession Committee' held in the medium conference room on the 3rd floor of the city hall on the morning of the 16th, presented appointment letters to the committee members, and took a commemorative photo. Provided by Gwangju City
Gwangju City has launched the ‘May 18 Democratic Movement Spirit Succession Committee’ (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) in response to the ‘December 3 Martial Law and Insurrection Incident.’ The Committee deliberates and advises on matters related to the succession and development of the May 18 spirit.
On the 16th, based on the ‘Basic Ordinance on the Succession of the May 18 Democratic Movement Spirit’ promulgated last May, Gwangju City newly formed the Committee with 30 members including representatives from the city, May 18 organizations, civil society groups, the city council, academia, the legal community, and religious sectors.
At its first meeting held that day, the Committee elected Mayor Kang Gi-jung as chairman and Park Sang-gyu, General Assembly President (Pastor) of the Presbyterian Church of Korea, as vice chairman. They also discussed current May 18 issues such as the inclusion of the May 18 spirit in the preamble of the Constitution, enactment of the May 18 Memorial Act, rectifying history, compensation for the May 18 Democratic Movement, the 45th anniversary commemorative events of the May 18 Democratic Movement, and the 15th World Human Rights Cities Forum.
Prior to this, on the 13th, the city held the 8th May 18 Democratic Movement Compensation Deliberation Committee meeting in the city hall’s medium conference room and decided to pay compensation totaling 824 million won to 69 applicants for May 18 Democratic Movement compensation, including those who faced academic disciplinary actions and dismissed journalists.
On the morning of the 16th, Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung visited the National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Buk-gu, and gently touched the tombstone of Martyr Moon Jae-hak, the real-life figure of 'Dong-ho,' the protagonist of the novel "The Boy Who Came." Photo by Gwangju City
Meanwhile, on the morning of the same day, Mayor Kang, along with local members of the National Assembly and heads of five district offices, visited the May 18 Democratic Cemetery to pay respects and conveyed a message of gratitude to the May spirits and the citizens of Gwangju who prevented the December 3 emergency martial law and led to the passage of the impeachment motion.
Mayor Kang emphasized, “The experience and lessons of ‘Gwangju’ in 1980 saved the Republic of Korea in December 2024. Especially, all citizens from teenagers who did not experience May 18 to those in their 20s and 30s showed courage,” adding, “In response to the citizens’ courage, Gwangju City will answer with ‘value-based administration.’ We will protect the safe daily lives of citizens and expand the May spirit through administration befitting the values of human dignity, sharing, coexistence, and inclusion.”
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