In the Guestbook:
"Democracy Written in the Blood of May Gwangju"
Kim Moonsoo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, visited the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery on May 17, one day before the 45th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement, to pay his respects.
On the morning of May 17, Kim visited the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. He was accompanied by People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman Kim Yongtae, as well as joint election committee chairs Kim Giheon, Lee Junghyun, and Yang Hyangja.
People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo and Emergency Response Committee Chairman Kim Yongtae visited the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju on the 17th to pay their respects at the grave of martyr Park Gwanhyun. Photo by Yonhap News
In the guestbook, Kim wrote, "Democracy written in the blood of May Gwangju."
After paying his respects, he moved to the graveyard and observed a moment of silence in front of the grave of the late Park Gwanhyun, who was the president of the Chonnam National University student council during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
At this moment, Kim was visibly moved to tears.
Park Gwanhyun entered the law department of Chonnam National University in 1978 and began his path in the democratization movement. When the new military regime declared martial law, he went into hiding for two years before being arrested by police in April 1982. He was sentenced to five years in prison on charges including insurrection. While imprisoned at Gwangju Prison, he went on a hunger strike demanding a full investigation into the events of May 18, and died later that same year.
In May 1986, Kim was arrested for participating in the movement to amend the constitution for direct presidential elections, and was imprisoned in Gwangju Prison in March 1988. He was released in October of the same year as part of a special pardon for National Foundation Day. At that time, Kim was assigned to the solitary cell where Park had died.
Kim said, "(Park) died from a chronic illness after continuing his hunger strike in prison," adding, "His older sister is still alive and visits every year. These memories are so painful."
It is known that Kim has visited Park's grave almost every year since he became a first-term member of the National Assembly.
On the same day, members of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Candlelight Action protested against Kim, shouting, "Forces of insurrection must leave Gwangju immediately."
People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo and Emergency Response Committee Chairman Kim Yongtae visited the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju on the 17th to pay their respects at the grave of martyr Park Gwanhyun. Photo by Yonhap News
Recently, the People Power Party appointed former Defense Minister Chung Hoyong, who was convicted for leading the suppression of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, as a senior advisor, but canceled the appointment after just one day.
Regarding this, Kim Jaewon, chief of staff for the People Power Party presidential candidate, apologized on May 15, saying, "A group of former lawmakers supporting Kim suggested to the campaign that Chung be appointed as a senior advisor, and I collected and relayed this suggestion. However, due to my carelessness, I failed to properly verify it in the process."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
