Gwangju City Urges Truth and Reconciliation Chair Park Sunyoung to Resign Immediately

Statement Released: "Do Not Distort the Truth of May 18"
"Immediate Apology Before May 18 Democratic Martyrs and the People"

Park Sunyoung, chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, is leaving the plenary session of the Administrative Safety Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 24th, after being ordered to leave due to her response regarding the 'May 18 North Korean military intervention theory.' Photo by Yonhap News

On April 25, the Gwangju City Government urged, "Chairperson Park Sunyoung of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission must stop distorting the truth of the May 18 Democratization Movement and immediately step down."

In a statement released that day, the Gwangju City Government said, "Chairperson Park caused a major stir at the plenary session of the National Assembly's Administrative Safety Committee on April 24 by insisting that although there is controversy over the May 18 North Korean military intervention theory, she does not know the details." The city emphasized, "It has been proven by a Supreme Court ruling and the findings of the May 18 Fact-Finding Commission that the 'May 18 North Korean military intervention theory' was fabricated by Chun Doohwan, Ji Manwon, and others."

The statement continued, "Nevertheless, Chairperson Park's claim that she does not know the details of the 'May 18 North Korean military intervention theory' constitutes a malicious distortion of the truth about May 18, and is a confession that she is unfit to serve as chairperson. How can the head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, who bears the grave responsibility of uncovering the truth of state violence, so shamelessly distort the truth of history?"

The Gwangju City Government added, "Chairperson Park must stop being the standard-bearer of May 18 distortion, and immediately apologize and resign before the people, as well as before the May 18 democratic martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the struggle against unjust state violence. This is the solemn mandate of the people who saved democracy from the 12·3 insurrection."

Gwangju City Hall exterior view.

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