SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung attended a ceremony marking the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising in the southwestern city on Monday.
The ceremony was held at the square of the former provincial office in Gwangju to remember those who rose up against military dictatorship to defend democracy 46 years ago and to comfort their bereaved families.
The square, which officially reopened the same day after years of restoration work that began in 2019, is located at a historic site where young students, civilians, and other protesters held rallies for democracy against the late former President Chun Doo-hwan, who sent troops to suppress the uprising.
In a speech, Lee said, "The great people of [South Korea] stopped martial law forces with their bare hands in 2024, just as the citizens of Gwangju did in May 1980," referring to the botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law by former disgraced President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was later ousted from office after the debacle.
He also said the uprising should be written into the Constitution to ensure its spirit is remembered for future generations.
The ceremony was attended by roughly 3,000 people including government officials and the families of those who died in the brutal crackdown.
Before the ceremony, Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung paid their respects at the May 18th National Cemetery.
The ceremony was held at the square of the former provincial office in Gwangju to remember those who rose up against military dictatorship to defend democracy 46 years ago and to comfort their bereaved families.
The square, which officially reopened the same day after years of restoration work that began in 2019, is located at a historic site where young students, civilians, and other protesters held rallies for democracy against the late former President Chun Doo-hwan, who sent troops to suppress the uprising.
In a speech, Lee said, "The great people of [South Korea] stopped martial law forces with their bare hands in 2024, just as the citizens of Gwangju did in May 1980," referring to the botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law by former disgraced President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was later ousted from office after the debacle.
He also said the uprising should be written into the Constitution to ensure its spirit is remembered for future generations.
The ceremony was attended by roughly 3,000 people including government officials and the families of those who died in the brutal crackdown.
Before the ceremony, Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung paid their respects at the May 18th National Cemetery.
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