The Progressive Party's Gyeongnam chapter has called for the cancellation of the approval for an event honoring Lee Eun-sang at the Democracy Hall, stating that "Changwon City is ignoring the legislative intent of the ordinance and the spirit of the March 15th Incident with mechanical administration."
The controversy began with an event scheduled for October 31 at the Democracy Hall in Masan, Changwon, related to Lee Eun-sang.
The nonprofit Namhae Lee Eun-sang Memorial Association plans to hold an academic talk concert themed "The Power of Masan's Big Brand, Gagopa."
Changwon City reviewed the event plan submitted by the organizers and ultimately approved the venue, stating that it did not fall under the ordinance's restrictions.
In a statement on the 15th, the Progressive Party's Gyeongnam chapter criticized this decision, asserting that "the Democracy Hall was established to commemorate the democratization process of South Korea and the democratic movements that occurred in Changwon," and emphasized that approval should not be based solely on the absence of restrictions in the event plan.
The party particularly condemned the choice of the Democracy Hall as the event venue. They stated, "The Democracy Hall was created to remember the sacrifices and resistance of citizens against dictatorship, which began with the March 15th Incident in Masan. Holding an event honoring Lee Eun-sang here is inappropriate considering the historical significance of the local democracy."
They also pointed out that Lee Eun-sang participated in a campaign for the Liberal Party, supporting Syngman Rhee and Lee Gi-bung just before the March 15th Incident, and dismissed the incident as a "demonstration that lost its intellect." Furthermore, they highlighted his support for the May 16 military coup, calling it a "revolution," and his role as a national advisory committee member under the Chun Doo-hwan regime, stating, "Lee Eun-sang's trajectory stands in stark contrast to the history that the Democracy Hall aims to commemorate and uphold."
Concerns were raised that this issue could not simply be attributed to a misjudgment by the relevant department. The party noted that in 2024, there was controversy surrounding the restoration of the name "Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival" due to Lee Eun-sang's pro-dictatorship actions, and the Democracy Hall had previously faced criticism for downplaying the responsibilities of the Rhee administration in past exhibitions. They argued, "It is hard to believe that Changwon City is unaware of these historical controversies after experiencing them multiple times."
The party sharply criticized Changwon City's "administrative convenience," questioning, "Does it mean that as long as the event plan does not include the term 'praise for dictatorship,' it does not matter whom we honor?" They further asked, "What is the point of a venue review process that does not even consider whether the individual aligns with the purpose of the hall's establishment?" They called for an immediate cancellation of the venue approval, stating that the city's decision contradicts the purpose of the ordinance and the spirit of the March 15th Incident.
Additionally, they proposed specific measures to prevent recurrence, emphasizing that ordinances should clearly restrict events that distort or belittle the historical facts of the democratization movement or glorify dictatorship, as these could severely undermine the hall's founding purpose.
They also called for improvements in the venue review process, arguing that decisions on controversial events should not be made by one or two officials merely reviewing documents. They suggested that a separate review process involving an advisory committee, experts, and civil society should be established to assess compliance with the hall's founding purpose.
Meanwhile, a Changwon City official acknowledged awareness of the local controversy surrounding Lee Eun-sang but stated that the venue decision was made based on the submitted event plan and current ordinances, adding, "There have been no changes regarding the approval so far."
This situation highlights a clash between Changwon City's prioritization of administrative procedures and the community's emphasis on the historical significance of the venue. As both sides maintain their positions, tensions within the local community are expected to continue leading up to the scheduled event on October 31.
Community attention is focused on whether the "legality of administration" as per the ordinance or the "symbolism of the Democracy Hall" should take precedence, and what precedent this venue decision will set for the future operation of public facilities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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