Gwangju City Officials Pay Tribute at May 18 Democratic Cemetery
Mayor Kang Kijeong: "Let Us Carry On the Will of the Boys Through the Power of Our Votes"
Banner Featuring a Quote from "The Boy Is Coming" Displayed on City Hall Exterior
Kang Kijeong, mayor of Gwangju, is paying respects at the National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery on the 12th along with senior Gwangju city officials ahead of the 45th anniversary of the May 18th Democratic Uprising. Photo by Gwangju City
"Yang Changgeun, Moon Jaehak, An Jongpil... In May 1980, there were 'those boys.' In order to carry on the will of the boys who dreamed of a democratic world, we must demonstrate the power of our votes. Toward a stronger democracy!"
On May 12, ahead of the 45th anniversary of the May 18th Democratic Uprising, Gwangju Mayor Kang Kijeong visited the National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery with the heads of city departments to lay flowers and offer incense, paying tribute to the spirits of May.
This visit was an occasion to pay respects to the spirits of May before welcoming guests for the anniversary and to pledge to successfully hold various commemorative events honoring the spirit of May. With this tribute, the city officially began the 45th anniversary events for the May 18th Democratic Uprising.
After offering incense at the memorial tower, Mayor Kang visited Sections 1 and 2 of the National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery and the 5·18 Old Cemetery (the National Democratic Martyrs' Cemetery). In particular, he visited the graves of Yang Changgeun, Moon Jaehak, and An Jongpil, who are buried in Section 1, and spoke about the democratic world dreamed of by these "boys," who were high school students at the time.
Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijeong is writing in the guestbook before paying respects at the National 518 Democracy Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju, on the morning of the 12th. Photo by Gwangju City
Moon Jaehak, who inspired the character "Dongho" in Han Kang's novel "The Boy Is Coming," was a first-year student at Gwangju Commercial High School. On May 21, 1980, upon hearing that his elementary school friend Yang Changgeun had been killed in a mass shooting, he joined the protests. His mother, Kim Gilja, urged her son, who was participating as a citizen soldier, to come home, but Moon Jaehak replied, "My friend has died; I cannot be the only one to go home." He continued to fight as a citizen soldier alongside his friend An Jongpil. These high school students fought to the end, determined to defend the provincial government building, even at the risk of death. In the early morning of May 27, both were killed by martial law troops' bullets. The democratic world they dreamed of has become a beacon for democracy, human rights, and peace for many.
According to the May 18th Democratic Uprising Truth Investigation Committee, during the ten days from May 18 to 27, 1980, there were a total of 166 deaths in Gwangju and nearby areas. Of these, 58 were teenagers and 64 were in their twenties, meaning that 73.5% of the victims were minors and young adults.
Speaking about the democratic world the martyrs dreamed of, Mayor Kang said, "There were many boys under the age of 20 who died or were injured during the ten days of resistance," and pledged, "By carrying on the will of 'those boys,' I will work to create a Gwangju where more people can participate in voting more easily, and to build a stronger democracy."
Before the tribute, Mayor Kang held a joint press conference on participation in the 21st presidential election with Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Lee Jeongseon and district mayors Lim Taek, Kim Ikang, Kim Byeongnae, Moon In, and Park Byeonggyu at the city hall briefing room. They pledged six administrative measures to facilitate greater and easier voter participation and set a target of achieving a record-high voter turnout of 92.5%.
At the event, Mayor Kang announced, "To raise voter turnout, we will launch the 'Pause for a Moment: First Vote of a Lifetime Campaign.'" The campaign will encourage third-year high school students to vote for the first time in their lives, centering on middle and high school student councils, and will actively promote the meaning and importance of voting to elementary, middle, and high school students.
A banner on the outer wall of the Gwangju City Hall inscribed with a quote from Han Kang's work "The Boy Is Coming." Provided by Gwangju City.
On this day, the city displayed a banner on the outer wall of city hall featuring an excerpt from Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang's novel "The Boy Is Coming": "I hope you will lead me to the bright side, to where the light shines, to where the flowers bloom." In addition, to mark the May anniversary week, the city raised the "5·18 People's Uprising Commemoration Committee Flag" on the national flagpole and is commemorating the 45th anniversary of the May 18th Democratic Uprising.
Meanwhile, to mark the 45th anniversary of the May 18th Democratic Uprising, Gwangju City is hosting the vibrant "May Gwangju Democracy Grand Festival." From May 17 to 18, city buses, urban rail, and transportation support vehicles for people with mobility challenges will be free of charge. Other events include the May Eve "May Tent Village," the "Boy's Path" tour inspired by Han Kang's novel "The Boy Is Coming," free distribution of rice balls, a bread-sharing sale with participation from 49 bakeries, the World Human Rights Cities Forum, and a variety of other activities.
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