The late An Seongrye, former director of the May Mothers' House.
An Seongrye, the inaugural director of the May Mothers' House and former member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council, passed away on December 28. She was 87 years old.
Born on November 19, 1938, in Hampyeong, South Jeolla Province, An graduated from the Department of Nursing at Chonnam National University in 1957 and worked as a nurse at Chonnam National University Hospital.
The following year, she met Myeong Nogun, a graduate student in the Department of English Literature at Chonnam National University. After dating for a year, they married in 1959.
In 1964, she moved to Gwangju Christian Hospital, where she devoted herself to treating injured protesters during the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement in 1980.
When her husband, Mr. Myeong, was arrested as a supposed leader of the May 18 movement, she led efforts for his release, including participating in protests at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul.
After the release of those imprisoned in connection with May 18, she and her fellow activists who had campaigned for their release formed the Association of Families of Democracy Movement Prisoners (MINKAHYUP), where she served as president.
In 1989, she chaired the Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Committee on Women's Issues, and from 1991 to 2002, she served as a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council.
During this time, she also chaired the May 18 Gwangju Special Committee, taking a leading role in uncovering the truth about May 18 and holding those responsible accountable.
In 2006, she became the first director of the May Mothers' House, an organization for mothers and wives who lost family members in the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, and led the group for six years.
She is survived by her children: Myeong Yunseok, Myeong Hyewon, Myeong Gyuwon, Myeong Jiweon, and Myeong Jin, who is also a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council.
The funeral will be held privately with family members, and the memorial altar has been set up at Cheonji Funeral Home in Gwangju.
The funeral procession will take place at 11:30 a.m. on December 30, and she will be laid to rest at the National May 18 Cemetery.
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