False Claims and Reckless Remarks:
Wounds Persist for 45 Years
Citizens attending the 6th Gwangju Citizens' General Rally held on December 14 last year at the special stage in Geumnamro, Dong-gu, Gwangju, are cheering while holding placards. Photo by Song Bohyun
As the 45th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement approaches, distortions surrounding the event continue to persist. May organizations point out that the insufficient punishment of the 1980 military regime is the root cause of these distortions.
According to the May 18 Memorial Foundation on the 9th, false information about May 18 was spread multiple times last year through banners and publications. The foundation filed 11 complaints for violations of the May 18 Special Act.
Distortion groups are spreading the already debunked "North Korean Special Forces involvement theory" as if it were true and are calling May 18 a "riot," denying historical facts. There was even a case where teenagers created and sold a game on Roblox that distorted the events of May 18.
The lenient punishment of the military regime is also cited as a problem. Key figures such as Chun Doo-hwan stood trial in the late 1990s but were pardoned after serving just over two years in prison and never issued an apology.
A representative of the May 18 Memorial Foundation emphasized, "The unresolved past provides an excuse for distortion," adding, "Punishments for distortion should be strengthened, and legal grounds should be established to address acts that support the military regime."
The foundation is also reviewing possible legal action against Chun Jae-guk, the eldest son of Chun Doo-hwan, for comments made at a recent forum opposing the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol.
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