President Moon: "The May 18 Democratic Movement Must Be Included in the Constitution"

Gwangju MBC 5·18 40th Anniversary Special Program Appearance... President Moon Led Kyung Hee University Student Movement and Heard 5·18 News While Detained

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] President Moon Jae-in appeared on a special program commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Gwangju MBC 5·18 Democratic Movement and stated that the 5·18 Democratic Movement should be enshrined in the constitution.

The Blue House announced on the 14th, "In an interview with Gwangju MBC held at the Blue House Sangchunjae on the 12th, President Moon calmly expressed his reflections and thoughts on the 5·18 Democratic Movement, as well as his determination to uncover the truth."

At the event, President Moon said, "Since there was a long period of military dictatorship after April 19, there are limitations in explaining our country's democratization movement. I believe that only when the 5·18 Democratic Movement and the June Struggle are enshrined in the constitution will the history of our democratization movement be properly represented and national unity can be achieved."

President Moon Jae-in is delivering a commemorative speech at the 37th anniversary ceremony of the May 18 Democratic Uprising held on May 18 at the Gwangju National May 18 Democratic Cemetery.

President Moon also shared his reflections when he embraced Kim So-hyung, a bereaved family member, during the 5·18 memorial ceremony. In particular, he recounted how he first encountered the 5·18 Movement and explained the situation in which he realized the reality of distorted media coverage.

He explained that 40 years ago, as a returning student at Kyung Hee University leading student movements, he was preemptively detained by the new military regime under Chun Doo-hwan and was in police custody when he heard the news of 5·18 from the police. He later learned that the brutal suppression by martial law troops and the armed resistance by citizen militias, which he heard from the police, were not properly reported in the media and were distorted.

President Moon also responded to a question about the person who comes to mind most regarding the 5·18 Movement during this program.

President Moon Jae-in is consoling bereaved family member Kim So-hyung at the 37th anniversary ceremony of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement on May 18 last year.

The Blue House explained, "This appearance is intended to elevate the significance of the 5·18 Democratic Movement by reviewing its history and remaining tasks on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the 5·18 Democratic Movement."

President Moon’s interview video, produced as a 50-minute segment titled ‘President Moon Jae-in’s Oilpal’ and an approximately 8-minute segment ‘Oilpal of My Life (President Moon Jae-in Edition),’ will be broadcast on Gwangju MBC on the 17th. It will also be available on the Blue House website and official YouTube channel.

Gwangju MBC has been airing the year-round project ‘Oilpal of My Life’ since the beginning of the year as part of the 40th anniversary planning for 5·18. ‘Oilpal of My Life’ is a mini-documentary style project that listens to stories from various sectors of society about how the 5·18 Gwangju Democratic Movement changed a citizen’s life.

So far, nine people have appeared, including former Acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Kim Yi-su, singer Jung Tae-chun, former Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Chairman Han Sang-kyun, and Ha Moon-soon, a rice ball vendor at Daein Market. President Moon Jae-in is the tenth guest. The mini-documentary style broadcasts will air alongside ‘President Roh Moo-hyun’s Oilpal’ from the 17th until June 14.

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