"3·15 Uprising Commemoration Ceremony Canceled, but"… Changwon City Pays Tribute at Democratic Martyrs' Gravesite

Mayor Heo Seong-mu Visits National 3·15 Democratic Cemetery Following 3·15 Uprising Memorial Tower Ceremony

On the 15th, Heo Seong-mu, mayor of Changwon City, is paying respects at the 3·15 Uprising Memorial Tower.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kang Sharon] Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province, announced on the 16th that Mayor Heo Seong-mu visited and paid respects in succession to the 3·15 Uprising Memorial Tower and the National 3·15 Democratic Cemetery on the 15th, marking the 60th anniversary of the 3·15 Uprising, Korea's first bloody democratization movement and a democratic asset.

The 3·15 Uprising is the pioneering modern democratization movement in Korea, where ordinary citizens and students of Changwon (formerly Masan) bravely stood up barehanded against a dictatorship that trampled on the basic rights of the people and committed electoral fraud, and it is a proud history of democracy that all citizens should remember.

On that day, Mayor Heo visited the 3·15 Uprising Memorial Tower to lay flowers and observe a moment of silence, and then at the National 3·15 Democratic Cemetery, he laid flowers at the graves of 46 contributors to the 3·15 Uprising, including martyr Kim Ju-yeol, who passed away at a young age, along with 12 other martyrs.

He said, "We will inherit the noble spirit of the democratic martyrs to establish the identity of Changwon and strive to pass on the spirit of the 3·15 Uprising to future generations." He also expressed regret over the cancellation of this year's commemorative ceremony, saying, "Through this visit, I hope to offer consolation to the bereaved families of the 3·15 Uprising and to help heal the lifelong wounds of the injured and contributors, even if only a little."

Earlier, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs decided to cancel the commemorative ceremony on the 6th due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

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