Opposition candidate apologizes for defending ex-dictator

Yoon Seok-youl, center, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, offers a silent tribute to victims of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement at the May 18th National Cemetery in the southwestern city, Wednesday. Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), made an apology in Gwangju, Thursday, for his complimentary remarks toward former President Chun Doo-hwan, who brutally suppressed the pro-democracy movement there in 1980.

“I bow my head and apologize to everyone who was hurt by my words,” Yoon said at the May 18th National Cemetery, where the victims of the military suppression are buried. “I clearly remember the sacrifices made by the citizens of Gwangju 40 years ago with blood and tears for the democracy of Korea.”

The “apology tour” visit to the southwestern city ― his first regional stop since his Friday nomination as candidate ― comes 22 days after Yoon's praise of the former dictator angered residents of Gwangju and the Jeolla region who remembered Chun's brutal suppression of the pro-democracy movement there in 1980. The military suppression of the democratization movement in Gwangju left at least 200 dead and 1,800 wounded.

Yoon, 60, initially planned to pay tribute at the memorial altar of the cemetery, but was blocked by protesting residents. So he was forced to cancel his plan and instead offered a silent tribute at the entrance to the cemetery.

Later, Yoon told reporters that he fully understood their anger, adding that it was a relief that he apologized and paid tribute although he could not lay flowers and light incense.

Yoon also said in his apology that the painful history of Gwangju had become part of the nation's proud history and out of the blood of Gwangju blossomed democracy.

“I will achieve the national unity that you yearn for without fail, and inherit and advance the democracy that you secured.”

Ahead of his visit to the cemetery, Yoon also visited the birthplace of Hong Nam-soon, a lawyer and human rights activist who defended democratic activists under the military regime as well as spearheaded the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. He also met people who lost their loved ones due to the violent suppression.

“I had many opportunities to hear about Hong when I was a prosecutor,” Yoon said.

In response, one of Hong's family members said that Yoon was the first presidential candidate to visit them.

Members of civic groups clash with police at the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju, Wednesday, ahead of a visit by Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party. Yonhap

Even before his visit, however, civic groups and residents staged protests, questioning his sincerity.

“We urge Yoon not to tarnish the sacred place of democracy with an insincere apology visit,” more than 50 civic groups said in a press conference, Tuesday.

“We do not believe it is a slip of tongue that Yoon defended the orchestrator of the massacre and made an insulting apology for it.”

Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop said that Yoon had to make only three promises as part of his efforts to show sincerity.

“First, he should make efforts to include the spirit of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement in the Constitution, and second, he needs to strive to get to the bottom of (what happened to) the movement,” Lee said in a radio interview.

“Lastly, he should come up with measures to prevent the PPP from repeatedly distorting the truth about the pro-democracy movement.”

Students at Gwangju-based universities also displayed handwritten posters protesting Yoon's trip in dozens of locations around the city. They also staged a rally along with members of civic groups at the cemetery in protest against Yoon's visit there.

During the PPP primary last month, Yoon praised Chun by saying that many people believe that he conducted state affairs well, aside from his bloody crackdown of the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju, and his seizure of power through a coup in December 1979, adding that a lot of people in Gwangju and South and North Jeolla provinces also say so.

Amid the growing backlash, Yoon expressed regret over his remarks, but his apology brought up another controversy, as he posted a photo of his dog with an apple on Instagram, leading to intense criticism that he likened the people to a dog. In Korean, apple and apology are homonyms.

On Thursday, Yoon plans to travel to landmarks in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, the main support base of the late liberal former President Kim Dae-jung, and Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, where the late liberal former President Roh Moo-hyun is buried.