Prime Minister Kim Minseok: "Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising, the Great Force That Ushered in the Dawn of Democracy"

"The Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising was a great civic movement that pierced through the darkness of the Yushin dictatorship and ushered in the dawn of democracy."

Prime Minister Kim Minseok made this statement while attending the 46th Anniversary Ceremony of the Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising, held at the Grand Theater of the 3.15 Art Center in Changwon, Gyeongnam, on October 16, 2025, the 46th anniversary of the uprising.

Prime Minister Kim Minseok delivers a commemorative speech at the 46th Anniversary of the Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising Ceremony held at the 3.15 Art Center Grand Theater in Changwon, Gyeongnam. Photo by Lee Seryung

In his commemorative speech, Prime Minister Kim began by saying, "It feels as if the passionate cries of October 1973 are echoing here in Changwon, the sacred ground of Korean democracy."

He continued, "The indomitable courage and spirit that ignited in Busan and Masan led to the May 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement, the June 1987 Democratic Uprising, the 2016 Candlelight Revolution, and the 2025 Revolution of Light," adding, "It was the great driving force that restored Korea's collapsed democracy."

He also emphasized, "It became the foundation for the constitutional value of popular sovereignty, which holds that the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea resides with the people and all power comes from the people," and added, "Above all, it left us with the clear lesson that any unfavorable or unlawful regime can be changed by the power of the people."

Prime Minister Kim stated, "Democracy is not a completed system, but a task that requires constant effort and practice," and said, "This is why we must honor, inherit, and further develop the spirit of Bu-Ma."

He went on to say, "Going forward, the government will continue to make every necessary effort to uncover the truth of the Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising and restore the honor of the citizens who were oppressed by the military, so that the historical value and spirit of the uprising are passed down to future generations."

He added, "When we remember the noble history of democracy achieved by ordinary citizens and engrave its spirit in our hearts, Korean democracy will take deeper root and move beyond division and conflict toward the future."