President Moon urges people responsible for May 18 crackdown to reveal truth
- 4 years ago
문대통령, 5•18 기념식 참석…"진실 고백해야"
Forty years ago on this May 18th, in Gwangju, South Koreans kicked off a pro-democracy movement which eventually led to a military crackdown killing hundreds and injuring thousands under the authoritarian regime.
Marking 40 years since the Spring of 1980 in Gwangju, President Moon Jae-in attended a memorial there and vowed all-out support to uncover the truth.
Speak of the truth and the truth will lead you to forgiveness and reconciliation: the president's message, Kim Mokyeon starts us off.
Marking the 40th anniversary of the Gwangju Pro-Democracy Movement, President Moon Jae-in attended a commemorative event which for the first time was held in front of the May 18 Democracy Square in Gwangju, the heart of the movement.
There, President Moon paid respect to those who fought for the nation's democracy, and called for those responsible for the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Gwangju, to step up and reveal the truth.
"It's not for the purpose of punishment, but for the proper recording of history. If you reveal the truth, it will open a path towards forgiveness and reconciliation."
Citing the launch of a probe by an independent fact-finding commission last week, Moon promised his utmost support for the investigation and also vowed to continue efforts to search for the missing as well as compensate and restore the honor of the victims
To better acknowledge the event, President Moon also expressed hopes to inscribe the historic value and significance of the Gwangju movement into the nation's constitution.
"Inscribing the May 18 Democratic Movement into the Constitution symbolizes that it stands as an undeniably great event in South Korean history.
President Moon also took the podium to express gratitude to the Gwangju residents, whom he said showed the spirit of the pro-democracy movement even during the COVID-19 pandemic, by taking the lead to offer beds for patients in Daegu, one of the areas hardest hit by the outbreak in South Korea.
He said, that spirit has become the source of South Korea's strength, helping it become a global role model in dealing with COVID-19.
Kim Mok-yeon, Arirang News.
Forty years ago on this May 18th, in Gwangju, South Koreans kicked off a pro-democracy movement which eventually led to a military crackdown killing hundreds and injuring thousands under the authoritarian regime.
Marking 40 years since the Spring of 1980 in Gwangju, President Moon Jae-in attended a memorial there and vowed all-out support to uncover the truth.
Speak of the truth and the truth will lead you to forgiveness and reconciliation: the president's message, Kim Mokyeon starts us off.
Marking the 40th anniversary of the Gwangju Pro-Democracy Movement, President Moon Jae-in attended a commemorative event which for the first time was held in front of the May 18 Democracy Square in Gwangju, the heart of the movement.
There, President Moon paid respect to those who fought for the nation's democracy, and called for those responsible for the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Gwangju, to step up and reveal the truth.
"It's not for the purpose of punishment, but for the proper recording of history. If you reveal the truth, it will open a path towards forgiveness and reconciliation."
Citing the launch of a probe by an independent fact-finding commission last week, Moon promised his utmost support for the investigation and also vowed to continue efforts to search for the missing as well as compensate and restore the honor of the victims
To better acknowledge the event, President Moon also expressed hopes to inscribe the historic value and significance of the Gwangju movement into the nation's constitution.
"Inscribing the May 18 Democratic Movement into the Constitution symbolizes that it stands as an undeniably great event in South Korean history.
President Moon also took the podium to express gratitude to the Gwangju residents, whom he said showed the spirit of the pro-democracy movement even during the COVID-19 pandemic, by taking the lead to offer beds for patients in Daegu, one of the areas hardest hit by the outbreak in South Korea.
He said, that spirit has become the source of South Korea's strength, helping it become a global role model in dealing with COVID-19.
Kim Mok-yeon, Arirang News.