"Enshrine May 18 in the Constitution"...Call for a June 3 Concurrent Referendum on a "One-Point Constitutional Amendment"

Over 500 Civil Society and Political Leaders Gather at National Assembly

Call for Constitutional Referendum to Coincide with Local Elections

Urge Revision of National Referendum Act and Formation of Special Committee on Constitutional Amendment

Gwangju Metropolitan City, nationwide civil society organizations, and groups related to the May 18 Democratization Movement have called for the promotion of a "one-point constitutional amendment" to include the Spirit of May 18 in the preamble of the Constitution.

The city of Gwangju announced that on the 25th, the "National Rally to Urge Constitutional Amendment to Include the Spirit of May 18 in the Constitution's Preamble" was held in the main conference room of the National Assembly Members' Office Building. The event was hosted by the "National Promotion Committee for the Constitutional Amendment to Include the Spirit of May 18 in the Constitution's Preamble," and was attended by nationwide civil society organizations, May 18 organizations, and Jeollanam-do Province.

Kang Gijung, mayor of Gwangju, poses for a commemorative photo with attendees at the "National Rally to Urge Constitutional Amendment to Include the Spirit of May 18," held at 2 p.m. on the 25th in the Main Auditorium of the National Assembly Members' Office Building. Provided by Gwangju City.

About 500 people attended the event, including Kang Gijeong, mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, Woo Wonshik, Speaker of the National Assembly, Jung Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, Kim Youngrok, governor of Jeollanam-do Province, representatives of May 18 organizations, and civil society leaders.

Through their resolution, participants argued that "the failure to enshrine the Spirit of May 18 in the Constitution is an evasion of responsibility for democracy" and insisted that "a one-point constitutional amendment referendum must be immediately pursued to be held simultaneously with the June 3 local elections." The Promotion Committee defined the May 18 Democratization Movement as "a historic event that contributed to the development of democracy not only in Korea but around the world," while pointing out that the failure to stipulate it in the preamble of the Constitution constitutes a "constitutional vacuum."

Specifically, the Promotion Committee called for: (1) pursuing a constitutional amendment referendum to be held simultaneously with the June 3 local elections; (2) immediately revising the National Referendum Act and forming a special parliamentary committee on constitutional amendment; and (3) strengthening the penalty provisions in special legislation to eradicate historical distortions of May 18 and enacting follow-up laws.

In his lecture, Lee Booyoung, chairperson of the Foundation for the Practice of Freedom of the Press, said, "After Gwangju, Korea's democratization movement was a struggle to repay the debt owed to Gwangju," and added, "To remember the Spirit of Gwangju, we must enshrine the Spirit of May 18 in the Constitution."

Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Wonshik stated, "Opinion polls have confirmed high levels of support for constitutional amendment and for including May 18 in the Constitution," and added, "As we mark 38 years since the current Constitution came into force, it is necessary to reinforce the bulwark of democracy and engrave the Spirit of May 18 in the preamble of the Constitution."

Kang Gijeong, mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, said, "The Spirit of May 18 is the democratic spirit of the Republic of Korea and a universal value of peace," and stressed, "It must be clearly enshrined in the Constitution through a one-point constitutional amendment."

The effort to include the Spirit of May 18 in the preamble of the Constitution was discussed during the 9th constitutional amendment in 1987 but failed due to disagreements between the ruling and opposition parties. It was also included in the 2018 constitutional amendment proposal, but did not pass the National Assembly.

The city of Gwangju stated that it has continued various activities to enshrine the Spirit of May 18 in the preamble of the Constitution, including organizing commemorative events, cooperating with both the ruling and opposition political parties, holding public hearings for citizens, and jointly responding with other democratization movement organizations.