Muan County Holds 46th Anniversary Memorial for May 18 Democratization Movement

Honoring the Spirit of Democratization Heroes
Reflecting on the Values of Democracy, Human Rights, and Peace

Muan County in South Jeolla Province held a commemorative event honoring the spirits of democracy on the occasion of the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. The county announced that a memorial ceremony for the May 18 Democratization Movement was held on the morning of the 18th at the Muan Bus Terminal Square.

On the 18th, a memorial ceremony was held with Kim Byungjung as acting officer, the Muan County Council, and the May 18th organizations in attendance.
[Photo by Muan County]

This event was organized to honor the intentions of the May 18 democratization heroes who sacrificed for the advancement of democracy, and to reflect on the values of democracy, human rights, and peace.

The memorial ceremony was attended by Kim Byungjoong, acting governor of Muan County, as well as members of the Muan County Council, organizations related to the May 18 movement, officials from relevant agencies, and senior county government officials. The ceremony proceeded with a floral tribute, incense burning, and a moment of silence, during which attendees paid their respects to the spirit of those who lost their lives in the democratization movement.

Notably, the event venue, the Muan Bus Terminal, is historically significant as the site where the democratization movement in the Muan region began in 1980. It has been designated as Jeollanam-do May 18 Historic Site Muan-1. The commemorative monument installed at the site features depictions of Muan residents who participated in the movement at the time, adding further historical meaning.

Kim Byungjoong, acting governor of Muan County, stated, "Our current democracy has been built upon the sacrifice and dedication of those democratic spirits 46 years ago," and added, "We will continue our efforts to ensure the enduring value of the May 18 spirit."

Meanwhile, Muan continues to promote the history of the regional democratization movement and strives to uphold the spirit of democracy through annual commemorative events for the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.

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