34th Anniversary of the June 10 Democratic Uprising... Honoring Citizens' Noble Sacrifice by Advancing Grassroots Democracy!

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] On June 10, 1987, countless citizens who lived ordinary lives as students, office workers, and mothers and fathers poured into the streets to mourn the deaths of the late Park Jong-cheol and the late Lee Han-yeol and to overthrow the long-standing military dictatorship and achieve democratization. All the unnamed heroes of that day, who did not back down in the face of the regime's ruthless suppression and violence, are the main actors and driving force behind today's Republic of Korea.

The June 10 Democratic Uprising was a major turning point for democracy in South Korea. Citizens who did not turn a blind eye to injustice proved that state power belongs to the people themselves, and ultimately changed the course of history. Following the June 29 Declaration, the presidential election system changed from an indirect to a direct election, and local autonomy, which had been halted, was revived through the 9th constitutional amendment.

Although the uprising of that day has become a page in history, its noble spirit continues to this day. Local autonomy, revived by the power of the people, has continuously developed, and at the end of last year, the full revision of the Local Autonomy Act was dramatically passed on the last day of the National Assembly, marking another step forward for local autonomy, which had been stalled for over 33 years. Although there are some regrettable points, it can be evaluated as a catalyst for realizing local autonomy that restores the value of residents' sovereignty.

On the 34th anniversary of the June 10 Democratic Uprising, we once again reflect on the significance of the development of local autonomy as the realization of democracy. Now, as we mark the 30th anniversary of the revival of local councils and the turning point of local autonomy through the full revision of the Local Autonomy Act, it is the right time to achieve ‘politics that serves citizens,’ ‘politics where citizens are the owners,’ and ‘politics made together with citizens.’ The central government must delegate sufficient authority to local governments in various social sectors so that local governments can have autonomy and responsibility. Only when we go beyond local autonomy to self-governance and decentralization will true democracy be realized.

The Democratic Party of Korea in the Seoul Metropolitan Council, recalling the spirit of the June 10 Democratic Uprising, will repay the noble sacrifices of the democratic spirits by developing true democracy based on participation and consensus.

June 9, 2021

Lee Seung-mi, Deputy Spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, Seoul Metropolitan Council

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