Yoon Seok-yeol's Side "Reaffirming the Spirit of the Buma Uprising and Strengthening the Will for Regime Change"

Yoon Seok-yeol, former Prosecutor General and presidential primary candidate of the People Power Party (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Bo-ryeong] On the eve of the 42nd anniversary of the Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's presidential campaign issued a statement saying, "We deeply reflect on the spirit of the uprising and reaffirm our determination for regime change."

Kim In-gyu, deputy spokesperson for Yoon's campaign, stated in a commentary on the 15th, "The cries of 'Down with dictatorship' that echoed in Busan and Masan 42 years ago in 1979 still resonate in the hearts of our people who love liberal democracy." The Bu-Ma Uprising was a protest movement that took place from October 16 to 20, 1979, centered in Busan and Masan, opposing the Yushin dictatorship under the Park Chung-hee regime.

Deputy spokesperson Kim explained, "At that time, there was ridicule from abroad saying, 'Expecting liberal democracy in Korea is like expecting roses to bloom in a trash can,' but the Republic of Korea has carefully nurtured the roses of democratization." He added, "The late former President Kim Young-sam (YS) called the Bu-Ma Uprising 'the first large-scale popular uprising since April 19.'"

Kim, who is also YS's grandson, said, "At that time, the ruling party used the Bu-Ma Uprising as a pretext to expel YS from his position as a member of the National Assembly," and added, "The words YS left in his parliamentary speech are still valid today: 'Even if you twist a chicken's neck, dawn will come.'"

Deputy spokesperson Kim also raised his voice in criticism of the current administration. He pointed out, "Now, 42 years later, liberal democracy is being violated by those who have flaunted their past as democratic forces like a badge of honor," and criticized, "It has long been the case that the ruling party's lawmakers, who have become a branch office of the Blue House, use their majority power to quickly make and amend laws to suit their tastes, breaking the fundamental checks and balances of the separation of powers."

Furthermore, Kim criticized, "If you are on the side of power, corruption, bribery, and illegality are tolerated or end with light punishments, but if you are on the opposite side, you are thoroughly investigated. Public broadcasters have become speakers for political power, distorting facts, and the ruling party is pushing legislation to gag the media. Various forms of new-type dictatorship, unimaginable even under military regimes, are emerging."

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