Kang Ki-jung Emphasizes Inclusion of May 18 Spirit in Constitution, Calls for May Amendment and June 3 Simultaneous Vote

66th Anniversary Ceremony of the April 19 Revolution Held at Chosun University High School on the 19th

Kang Ki-jung, Mayor of Gwangju, once again emphasized the necessity of including the spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement in the preamble to the Constitution at the 66th anniversary ceremony of the April 19 Revolution.

At the 66th anniversary ceremony of the April 19 Revolution held at Chosun University High School on the 19th, Mayor Kang stated, "We will inherit the spirit of the April 19 Revolution and ensure that the spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement is enshrined in the preamble to the Constitution." He added, "We will work to ensure that the constitutional amendment bill is passed by the National Assembly in May, and that the amendment takes place simultaneously with the June 3 local elections."

Gwangju Mayor Ki-jung Kang is laying a wreath at the April 19 Revolution Memorial Tower located in Gwangju Park on the 19th in commemoration of the April 19 Revolution. Courtesy of Gwangju City

Mayor Kang also highlighted the historical significance of the ceremony's venue. He said, "With the hope that the spirit of the April 19 Revolution will be fully passed on to future generations as a living spirit of our times, we are holding the ceremony at a high school that participated in the protests." He added, "Chosun University High School was one of the schools that participated most actively during the April 19 Revolution."

He continued, "Among those who first prepared the high school student protests was Jeon Mangil, a third-year student at Chosun University High School at the time. Around noon on the 19th, countless students from the school took to the streets." He stated, "It is because these students fought bravely and justly for democracy 66 years ago that the April 19 democratic ideology is engraved in the preamble to the Constitution." He reiterated, "Following the spirit of April 19, we will also include the spirit of May 18 in the preamble to the Constitution."

The ceremony, held under the theme "Remembering Sacrifice, Continuing Justice," included a national pledge, screening of documentary footage of April 19, a pledge of succession to the spirit by students of Chosun University High School, a commemorative performance, and commemorative speeches. The event was attended by about 200 people, including Mayor Kang; Jang Suk-nam, Director of the Gwangju Regional Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; Ko Jong-chae, Head of the Gwangju and Jeolla Branch of the April 19 Democratic Revolution Association; Kim Jeong-sun, Head of the Gwangju and Jeolla Branch of the April 19 Revolution Victims' Families Association; Jang Gil-man, Head of the Gwangju Hoseo Branch of the April 19 Revolution Contributors' Association; students; and citizens.

The ceremony took place in front of the April 19 Revolution Memorial Tower on the grounds of Chosun University High School, a school that participated in the April 19 Revolution protests. Gwangju City has been holding the ceremony at schools that took part in the protests to share the history of democracy with future generations. In 2024, it was held at Gwangju High School, and in 2025, at Gwangju Technical High School.

During the event, the Chosun University High School band club performed "To You" to honor the democratic spirit of their seniors.

Meanwhile, prior to the ceremony, at 9:10 a.m. on the same day, a memorial event was held at the April 19 Revolution Memorial Tower in Gwangju Park, attended by about 30 people, including Mayor Kang; Jang Suk-nam, Director; Choi Seung-bok, Deputy Superintendent of the Gwangju City Office of Education; local members of the National Assembly and city council; and heads of April 19 related associations.

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