Yoon Seok-yeol's Partial Visit to 5·18 Memorial Site... Unable to Reach Memorial Tower Due to Strong Resistance

"I Bow My Head and Apologize to Those Hurt by My Remarks"

On the 10th, presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol is heading toward the Gate of Democracy to pay respects at the National May 18th Democratic Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Cho Hyung-joo] Around 2 p.m. on the 10th, when Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, was scheduled to visit, tension filled the area in front of the Gwangju National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery.

Supporters of candidate Yoon and citizens opposing his visit were entangled together.

"Where is your group from?" A man who had been guarding the gate since dawn approached the small groups holding 'Yoon Seok-yeol Go Away' placards with suspicious eyes.

This group was composed of members of the Yoon Gongjeong Forum, a support group for candidate Yoon. Wearing masks inscribed with "We love you" and holding flowers in one hand, they busily moved about, paying no attention to the man's words.

Police forces stood in a line on both sides securing the entrance and prepared thoroughly for any possible incidents. Through the walkie-talkies, unintelligible words were exchanged, indirectly indicating that candidate Yoon's arrival time was approaching.

On the 10th, at the Gwangju National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery, citizens opposing the visit of People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol are holding placards and blocking his path.

The May 18 groups opposing candidate Yoon's supporters repeatedly shouted slogans such as "We must prevent Yoon Seok-yeol from entering" and "Yun Doohwan (Yoon Seok-yeol + Chun Doo-hwan) step down."

They occupied the stairs in front of the Gate of Democracy and the Memorial Gate, forming a human barricade to block candidate Yoon's visit to the 5·18 Democratic Cemetery.

The crowd around a banner large enough to be seen from afar that read "You who glorify the massacre are Chun Doo-hwan" showed a determined stance to firmly defend the passage.

At 4:20 p.m., a tense situation unfolded here, resembling a scene of chaos. When candidate Yoon arrived, police formed a human police line holding hands from the Gate of Democracy to the Memorial Gate.

However, due to the barricade formed by the May 18 groups, candidate Yoon was ultimately unable to proceed to the memorial tower where the incense offering space was set up and had to pay respects at a midpoint.

Following the guidance broadcast, he completed the memorial ceremony including salutes and moments of silence, then issued a statement expressing his intention to "advance democracy."

During this process, loud exchanges occurred between candidate Yoon's support group and the opposing organizations. Even after candidate Yoon turned back and left the cemetery grounds, strong opposition continued for some time.

Kim Jeong-rye (56, female), a member of the Yoon Gongjeong Forum Honam Support General Committee (Chairman Ko Gwang-hee), said, "It is regrettable that candidate Yoon could not complete his visit to the 5·18 cemetery, but I once again recognized his sincerity in achieving national unity and inheriting the spirit of 5·18. I actively support him as a president who will uphold constitutional values."

Citizen Kim (65) expressed, "I don't understand why he came here without a sincere apology for mocking Gwangju," and vented, "Gwangju should not be used as a political Chunhyang."

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