Japan Tokyo Workers' Learning Association Visits Nam-gu, Gwangju to Seek the Spirit of May

"We have come to learn about the spirit of the democratization movement and human rights of the citizens of Gwangju in May 1980."

On the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement, members of the Tokyo Workers' Learning Association from Japan visited Gwangju Nam-gu Office to study the history of the civilian massacre around Songam-dong and Hyochon Station area, spending meaningful time with Kim Byeong-nae, the head of Nam-gu.

According to Nam-gu on the 19th, 16 members of the Tokyo Workers' Learning Association, including Kenji Utsunomiya (76), former president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, and Toshiko Han (77), visited Nam-gu Office at 3 p.m. on the 18th.

Kenji Utsunomiya and his group visit Gwangju every year around the May 18 Democratization Movement memorial ceremony, showing great interest in the civilian massacre around Songam-dong, which had been less known in the history of the May 1980 uprising.

To learn more about the civilian massacre around Songam-dong, they met with Oh Young-soon, a member of the Nam-gu Council, to request assistance. After visiting the massacre site in Songam-dong on the afternoon of the 18th, they came to Nam-gu Office to receive a more detailed explanation of the situation at that time.

The conversation between the members of the Tokyo Workers' Learning Association and Kim Byeong-nae, head of Nam-gu, lasted about an hour.

At the meeting, Kim Byeong-nae said, "In 2020, through the May 18 Nam-gu Forum, we conducted a research project to re-examine the civilian massacre incident around Songam-dong, and we plan to create a memorial park and a monument in the future." He added, "When the memorial park is established, I would like to engrave the names of the 16 members of the Tokyo Workers' Learning Association on one side."

After concluding their discussion, the members of the Tokyo Workers' Learning Association and Kim Byeong-nae, head of Nam-gu, jointly sang the May 18 Democratization Movement memorial song, "March for the Beloved," honoring the noble spirit of the May martyrs.

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