4·3 Memorial Ceremony Caught in Political Strife... Yoon and Ruling Party Leaders Absent vs Opposition Leaders Fully Present

Moment of Silence Before People Power Party Supreme Council
Democratic Party Holds On-Site Supreme Council for Memorial

The Jeju 4·3 Victims Memorial Ceremony became the center of political controversy as key figures from the ruling party, including President Yoon Suk-yeol, were absent. The People Power Party held a moment of silence before the Supreme Council meeting, but the leadership's absence sharply contrasted with the opposition party's full presence in Jeju.

On the 3rd, at the 75th anniversary Jeju 4·3 Peace Park memorial ceremony, President Yoon, People Power Party leader Kim Ki-hyun, and floor leader Joo Ho-young did not attend. Instead, Supreme Council member Kim Byung-min, Secretary-General Lee Cheol-gyu, and Policy Committee Chair Park Dae-chul attended on behalf of the ruling party. The People Power Party replaced the memorial ceremony with a moment of silence for the victims of the Jeju 4·3 Incident before the Supreme Council meeting began.

After the Supreme Council meeting, Party Leader Kim told reporters, “Representing the party, multiple lawmakers including the Supreme Council members, Policy Committee Chair, and Secretary-General are attending to express our party's resolve on site,” adding, “Our party's mourning sentiment for the 4·3 Incident has always been consistent. Even today, during the meeting, we wore black ties and pinned camellia flowers on our chests to show that our feelings remain unchanged.”

Leader Kim continued, “However, due to urgent livelihood issues, we had to hold related meetings today, and with the need to focus party efforts on the 2030 Busan World Expo, the leadership roles were divided.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

With President Yoon's absence, the first attendance of a conservative government president at the memorial ceremony was also canceled. Former President Roh Moo-hyun was the first among past presidents to attend the 4·3 memorial ceremony, but attendance did not occur during the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations. President Yoon attended the ceremony last year as a president-elect.

There are voices of regret in Jeju. On the morning of the same day, Jeju Governor Oh Young-hwan appeared on MBC Radio’s “Kim Jong-bae’s Focus” and said, “For the residents and bereaved families, the 75th anniversary is a particularly meaningful year, so there was an expectation that the president would attend and join us,” adding, “There is much regret.”

President Yoon could not go to Jeju due to preparations for his U.S. visit schedule, and Leader Kim and Floor Leader Joo were unable to go to Jeju because of meetings with the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE) inspection team visiting Korea for the selection of the host country for the 2030 Busan World Expo.

The remark by People Power Party Supreme Council member Tae Young-ho that “the Jeju 4·3 Incident was triggered by instructions from North Korea’s Kim Il-sung” sparked controversy again that day. Regarding the controversy over this remark, Tae refused to apologize, stating at a meeting with reporters, “If an apology is necessary, what exactly we should apologize for must first be clarified.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, criticized at the on-site Supreme Council meeting held in Jeju, “The far-right behavior of the government and ruling party is insulting the spirit of 4·3. The ruling party leadership, who made the outrageous remark that the 4·3 Incident was triggered by Kim Il-sung’s instructions, has yet to offer a single apology,” and added, “President Yoon’s promise to completely resolve the 4·3 Incident has failed.” Democratic Party floor leader Baek Hong-geun pointed out, “One year ago at the memorial ceremony, President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol said, ‘We will strive to fully restore the honor of the 4·3 victims and their families,’ but at today’s first memorial ceremony since the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol government, neither the president nor the ruling party leader or key leadership are present.”

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