S. Korean gov't commemorates 38th anniversary of May 18th Democracy Movement in Gwangju
- 6 years ago
Today marks the 38th anniversary of May 18th democracy movement,... that took place in the southern city of Gwangju,... in 1980.
For more, we connect to our correspondent Park Ji-won,... who's in Gwangju now.
Jiwon.
Ji-yoon.
The government-organized ceremony for the 38th anniversary of the May 18th Democracy Movement was held this morning,... here at the May 18th National Cemetery,... in Gwangju.
Some five thousand participants,.. including bereaved family members of the victims,... citizens, students, and politicians,... attended the event.
In his speech at the event,... Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon vowed that the government will work hard to find the truth about what happened,... much of which,... such as who first gave the order to open fire on civilians,... is still not known.
He also said a special truth committee on the democratic movement will be launched in September,... and the committee will further investigate the tragic event.
Lee also called the democratic movement the 'victory of justice',... and said he will always remember the sacrifices of Gwangju that contributed to the nation's democracy.
Currently, there are some five thousand known victims of the massacre,.. including over 160 deaths,... hundreds of others missing,... and thousands injured.
And Ji-yoon,... what is particularly notable this year is that wives of a late foreign journalist, and pastors,... who bravely recorded the massacre 38 years ago here in Gwangju,... either with video cameras or through photographs,... to let the rest of the world to know the truth about what happened in Gwangju,... were also present at the ceremony.
Back to you, Jiyoon.
For more, we connect to our correspondent Park Ji-won,... who's in Gwangju now.
Jiwon.
Ji-yoon.
The government-organized ceremony for the 38th anniversary of the May 18th Democracy Movement was held this morning,... here at the May 18th National Cemetery,... in Gwangju.
Some five thousand participants,.. including bereaved family members of the victims,... citizens, students, and politicians,... attended the event.
In his speech at the event,... Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon vowed that the government will work hard to find the truth about what happened,... much of which,... such as who first gave the order to open fire on civilians,... is still not known.
He also said a special truth committee on the democratic movement will be launched in September,... and the committee will further investigate the tragic event.
Lee also called the democratic movement the 'victory of justice',... and said he will always remember the sacrifices of Gwangju that contributed to the nation's democracy.
Currently, there are some five thousand known victims of the massacre,.. including over 160 deaths,... hundreds of others missing,... and thousands injured.
And Ji-yoon,... what is particularly notable this year is that wives of a late foreign journalist, and pastors,... who bravely recorded the massacre 38 years ago here in Gwangju,... either with video cameras or through photographs,... to let the rest of the world to know the truth about what happened in Gwangju,... were also present at the ceremony.
Back to you, Jiyoon.