Significant Reduction of 40th Anniversary 5·18 Commemoration Events Due to COVID-19 Impact

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The 40th anniversary 5·18 commemoration event will be significantly scaled down due to the impact of COVID-19.

The 40th Anniversary 5·18 People's Uprising Commemoration Committee (Standing Event Chairman Lee Cheol-woo) announced on the 7th that to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to join the national effort to overcome the crisis, the 40th anniversary commemoration events will be largely canceled, scaled down, postponed, or replaced.

Events involving large gatherings, such as the 5·18 Eve Ceremony and the National Rally, will be completely canceled.

Memorial services and resurrection ceremonies conducted by the three 5·18 organizations will be carried out with a minimal number of participants and reduced scale.

Additionally, cultural and artistic events will be postponed until the COVID-19 spread subsides or replaced by various methods such as online formats.

The 5·18 Committee decided to significantly adjust the 40th anniversary commemoration event plans to cope with the global COVID-19 pandemic, the two-week extension of domestic social distancing, and to console the unpredictable national suffering caused by the economic crisis.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the 5·18 Committee decided to cancel events involving large gatherings such as the 5·18 Eve Ceremony, National Rally, Democracy Knight's Day, Youth Square, May Camping Village, and Neighborhood 5·18.

Furthermore, essential memorial and commemoration events such as memorial services and resurrection ceremonies promoted by the three 5·18 organizations will be conducted with maximum social distancing and reduced scale.

Cultural and artistic events will be postponed or replaced depending on the nature and characteristics of the media, while monitoring the progress of COVID-19.

Although the 5·18 Committee decided to largely cancel and scale down the 40th anniversary commemoration events, it will actively promote alternative activities such as uncovering the truth of 5·18, punishing those responsible, inheriting the spirit, domestic and international solidarity to overcome the COVID-19 crisis, and seeking national and global recognition.

Lee Cheol-woo, Standing Event Chairman of the 5·18 Committee, said, “Although the 40th anniversary 5·18 commemoration events are canceled and scaled down, the meaning and value of the 40th anniversary cannot be simply summarized. We must reflect on the past 40 years and dream of the next 40 years as a process of establishing better democracy and universal justice in our society.”

However, even though events involving large gatherings are completely canceled, the 5·18 Committee plans to prepare various events that embody the meaning and spirit of the 40th anniversary 5·18 People's Uprising and share them with the public.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.