Kim Jae-won Visits 5·18 Memorial... Kim Woong Says, "Isn't This 'Destroying Ancestors' Graves'?"

Kim Jae-won, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party who sparked controversy with remarks such as opposing the inclusion of the 5.18 Spirit in the Constitution, visited the Gwangju 5.18 Democratic Cemetery on the 14th to pay his respects.

On that day, Kim reportedly stayed for about 30 minutes at the 5.18 Democratic Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju. He wrote in the guestbook, "I will always remember the pain of the citizens of Gwangju and the sacrifice of the democratic spirits. I want to express my deep apologies."

In response, Kim Woong, a People Power Party lawmaker, sarcastically said, "Is an apology after 34 days a sincere apology?" and added, "It will just be another 'disturbance of ancestors' graves' that Kim Jae-won is good at." He further criticized, "The place Kim Jae-won should go is not the National 5.18 Democratic Cemetery but his own home."

Kim Jae-won, Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party, paid respects at the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju on the morning of the 14th. The photo shows the inscription written by Kim just before the visit.
[Image courtesy of the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery Management Office, Yonhap News Agency]

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This was a reference to Kim Jae-won's remark at a worship service led by Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church on the 12th of last month, where he said, "Politicians will even dig up their ancestors' graves to get votes." Kim Jae-won fueled the controversy by consecutively making statements such as "Pastor Jeon’s right-wing unification of the world" and "Jeju 4.3 is a low-level memorial day."

The People Power Party leadership has decided to discuss disciplinary measures against Kim Jae-won through the newly formed Ethics Committee. Currently, Kim Jae-won has entered self-reflection, announcing on the 4th that "as a sign of self-restraint, I will suspend attending the Supreme Council meetings and all media appearances throughout April."

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