President Lee Orders Review for May 18 Inclusion in Constitution... Gwangju City and Council Say "Now Is the Time for Action"

Gwangju Welcomes Presidential Directive on Institutional Review, Joined by 1.4 Million Citizens

Calls for Swift Action on Constitutional Special Committee and Simultaneous Local Election Voting

Urges Political Circles to Deliver Legislative Results through Bipartisan Cooperation

After President Lee Jae-myung ordered an institutional review for the inclusion of the spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement in the preamble of the Constitution, both Gwangju City and the Gwangju City Council welcomed the move and called for the constitutional amendment process to move forward.

President Lee Jae-myung is conversing with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yoon-chul at the Cabinet Meeting held at the Government Complex Sejong on the 17th. Photo by Yonhap News

Gwangju City announced that it "actively welcomes the directive, together with 1.4 million Gwangju citizens," following President Lee's instruction at the previous day’s cabinet meeting to conduct an institutional review for the inclusion of the spirit of May 18 and the Busan-Masan Democratic Protests in the constitutional preamble.

Gwangju City stated, "It is highly significant that the President mentioned the values of both the May 18 spirit and the Busan-Masan Protests together and officially instructed a review," adding, "Now is the time to move beyond discussion and deliver tangible legislative results that meet the expectations of the people."

The city further emphasized, "Including the spirit of May 18 in the constitutional preamble is a historic task that will legally establish the core values of democracy in South Korea." Gwangju City urged the government and the National Assembly to: ▲ designate the inclusion of the May 18 spirit in the constitutional preamble as a key objective of the constitutional amendment and push for it promptly ▲ quickly form a National Assembly special committee on constitutional revision ▲ begin concrete discussions, including plans for simultaneous voting with the June 3 local elections ▲ and foster bipartisan cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties.

The city also declared, "Until the day the spirit of May 18 becomes the eternal legal foundation of South Korea, we will move forward by uniting the will of 1.4 million citizens," and expressed hope that "this constitutional amendment will serve as a turning point, opening a new era for democracy."

The Gwangju City Council also released a statement, saying it "sincerely welcomes the President’s directive together with 1.4 million Gwangju citizens." The council stated, "Including the spirit of May 18 in the constitutional preamble is a meaningful first step to establish historical justice for South Korea’s democracy and elevate it to a constitutional value."

The council further emphasized, "This is a pressing issue of the times that can no longer be postponed," adding, "Now is the time to move from declaration to action, from discussion to decision." It also noted, "The spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement is not a history limited to a particular region or generation, but a legacy for all South Korean citizens," and described it as "living proof of the constitutional values of freedom, human rights, and justice."

The council called on the National Assembly and political circles to: ▲ immediately form a Special Committee on Constitutional Revision ▲ present a roadmap for holding the June 3 local elections and the constitutional amendment referendum simultaneously ▲ and foster bipartisan cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties.

Additionally, the council stated, "Including the spirit of May 18 in the Constitution goes beyond commemorating the past—it clarifies the identity of South Korean democracy and is a national responsibility to pass on to future generations," pledging to "fulfill our responsibility until this historic mission is accomplished."

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