Ruling and Opposition New Leaderships Head to Gwangju Together... Visit to 5·18 Memorial Site

Democratic Party Defends Stronghold After By-Election Defeat... People Power Party Actively Targets Honam

Song Young-gil: "Competent Reform Based on Gwangju Spirit"... Kim Ki-hyun: "Will Inherit and Develop the Will of Democratic Spirits"

Song Young-gil, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and the party leadership are visiting the May 18 Democratic Cemetery on the 7th to pay their respects.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] The new leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party both made visits to Gwangju.

The dominant analysis in the local political circles is that the Democratic Party aimed to defend its stronghold to recover from the painful defeat in the April 7 by-elections, while the People Power Party took a more proactive approach to target the Honam region.

At around 9 a.m. on the 7th, Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party, Lee Yong-seop, mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, and local lawmakers visited the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery.

This visit came less than a week after the new leadership of the Democratic Party was formed on the 2nd.

The atmosphere was solemn as they passed through the Minju Gate at the entrance.

Leader Song wrote in the guestbook, “因循姑息 苟且彌縫 (Insungo-sik Guchamibong): We will correct outdated customs, abandon complacency, and build a confident and competent reformist Democratic Party,” before paying respects to the spirits of the May 18 Democratic Movement.

Instead of a moment of silence at the memorial tower, Leader Song performed a deep bow and first visited the grave of martyr Jeon Young-jin, a friend from Daedong High School.

Introducing him as “my quiet friend Jeon Young-jin,” Song recalled, “Young-jin was shot by martial law troops on May 21, 1980, and fell. I survived, but only Young-jin died. After May 18, I suffered nightmares and pain, which continuously led me to participate in the student movement.”

He then became emotional and teary-eyed while visiting the grave of the late Jeon Jae-su, whose photo was found and attached to the tombstone on the 5th after 41 years, as well as the graves of the missing.

Song emphasized, “May 18 was a brutal massacre and suppression deliberately intended to isolate the Gwangju region and enable the military coup by the new military regime. Through this, armed resistance was provoked, and emergency martial law was expanded nationwide, making Gwangju a victim of the military coup.”

He added, “When everyone thought it was a riot due to the martial law troops’ media control, the young lawyer who ran to reveal the truth was Moon Jae-in. Politically isolating Gwangju was the 1990 three-party merger, and the young politician who opposed this was Roh Moo-hyun.”

He continued, “Both stood against Cold War regionalism, sided with Gwangju and justice, and the power that produced two presidents came from Gwangju. The spirit of May 18 should be included in the spirit of the Republic of Korea’s democratic republic, inheriting the ideals of the April 19 Revolution and the March 1 Movement.”

He also said, “I reaffirmed my determination to change the Democratic Party and will build a competent reformist Democratic Party.”

Kim Ki-hyun, Acting Floor Leader of the People Power Party, and the leadership are paying respects at the May 18 Democratic Cemetery on the 7th.

About 30 minutes after the Democratic Party leadership finished their visit to the May 18 Democratic Cemetery and left for other schedules, the new leadership of the People Power Party also arrived.

However, the atmosphere was quite different from when the Democratic Party visited earlier. The Gwangju-Jeonnam University Students Progressive Union held signs and banners, loudly demanding, “Expel the lawmakers who made defamatory remarks about May 18 and sincerely apologize,” and police set up police lines in preparation for any possible incidents.

As Kim Ki-hyun, acting floor leader of the People Power Party, and the leadership got out of the car, the voices of condemnation grew louder.

Kim and the leadership kept their mouths firmly shut, wrote in the guestbook, “We offer deep condolences and respect to the spirits of May,” and continued their memorial prayers at the memorial tower.

They also visited the graves of the late Jeon Jae-su and the missing in order.

Acting floor leader Kim listened to explanations about the late Jeon Jae-su and touched the tombstone, falling into deep thought for a while.

He said, “I have visited here several times, but coming today as a representative of the party makes me reflect more deeply on this painful history. I also participated in the student democratization movement as a third-year university student.”

He continued, “It was horrific and must never be repeated. We have a historical responsibility to heal well and carry forward the will of the democratic spirits. I offer my deepest apologies once again to the bereaved families and spirits who suffered and sacrificed.”

He added, “When thinking of Gwangju, it is recognized as a sacred place of democratization, but I also believe equal attention should be paid to regional economic development. Therefore, I will visit Gwangju Global Motors (GGM). Under the name of Gwangju-type jobs, we will create momentum for the development of Gwangju and Jeonnam and will not spare budgetary and institutional support.”

The Democratic Party leadership held an on-site supreme council meeting at the Gwangju Metropolitan City Party Office, visited the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) University site, and paid a courtesy call on Archbishop Kim Hee-jung. The People Power Party visited the Gwangju-type job site and then returned to Seoul.

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