Speaker Woo: "The Spirit of the Donghak Peasant Revolution Is Rooted in Popular Sovereignty"

Woo Wonsik, Speaker of the National Assembly, attended the 131st anniversary ceremony of the Donghak Peasant Revolution on May 11, 2025.

Woo Wonsik, Speaker of the National Assembly, is giving a speech. Photo by Yonhap News

At the event held at the Donghak Peasant Revolution Memorial Park in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, Speaker Woo stated, "The first victory of the Donghak Peasant Army was more than just a military triumph; it was a turning point that awakened the era and changed the course of history." He added, "The spirit of the Nokdu Flower has been the driving force that has set our nation right and propelled us forward at every critical juncture in our history."

Speaker Woo said, "We find the living spirit of the Donghak Peasant Revolution in the March 1st Movement, the anti-Japanese independence struggle, the Jeju 4·3, the April 19 Revolution, the May 18 Democratization Movement, the June Democracy Movement, and even in the candlelight protests and cheering sticks that stood against the regression of democracy. Because the root of popular sovereignty lies in the belief that the people must step forward to correct wrongful power, democracy in the Republic of Korea cannot be easily undermined."

Speaker Woo also stated, "The Donghak Peasant Revolution reminds us today that both the principle that the people are the true owners of history and the nation, and the direction and practice of social reform to realize this, all come from within the people."

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