The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    BTS stars shine brighter as solo artists

  • 3

    All elementary schools in Seoul to record calls from parents

  • 5

    S. Korea crush Kuwait to begin men's football title defense

  • 7

    ITZY's Lia takes break to put mental health first

  • 9

    Parent assaults day care center worker with baby excrement; angry public urges lawmakers to act

  • 11

    USFK soldier, 2 women arrested for drug trafficking

  • 13

    Yoon signs off on motion requesting parliamentary consent to opposition leader's arrest

  • 15

    Korea to begin quest for 3rd straight men's football gold vs. Kuwait

  • 17

    Yoon pitches Busan Expo bid at UN in bilateral talks

  • 19

    Housewife arrested for smuggling meth in sunflower seed bags

  • 2

    '30 Days' promises laughter, unlikely romance

  • 4

    North Korean escapees tell how nuclear tests ruined their health, hometown

  • 6

    Putin may regret forging closer ties with Kim: experts

  • 8

    Foreign tour operators pay close attention to Seoul's new Tourism Future Vision plan

  • 10

    US court rules in favor of KEPCO, KHNP over nuclear reactor exports

  • 12

    Korea ramps up support for marginalized youth

  • 14

    30 people purchased 8,000 homes: data

  • 16

    Seoul unveils lineup for Art Festival Seoul 2023

  • 18

    INTERVIEWSong Kang-ho hopes to offer cinematic originality with 'Cobweb'

  • 20

    Rowoon leaves SF9 to focus on acting career

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Thu, September 21, 2023 | 19:12
Editorial
Honor May 18 spirit
Posted : 2022-05-17 17:09
Updated : 2022-05-18 10:31
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Mass memorial should help promote national unity

Wednesday will mark the 42nd anniversary of the May 18, 1980, pro-democracy movement in Gwangju. This year's commemoration carries significance as President Yoon Suk-yeol asked all his senior aides and lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to attend a state memorial ceremony to be held at the May 18th National Cemetery in the southwestern city.

It is unprecedented for a conservative president and his party to hold such a large-scale ceremony to pay tribute to pro-democracy protesters killed during the uprising against the military junta led by Chun Doo-hwan. The bloody suppression of the movement claimed the lives of more than 200 and wounded 1,800 others.

We welcome Yoon's move as it demonstrates his determination to honor the victims and hold dear the legacy of the pro-democracy movement. In his commemoration speech, Yoon is likely to reveal his plan to stipulate the spirit of the movement in the Constitution. If such a plan is put into action, the May 18 uprising will be enshrined in the Constitution, together with the March 1 Independence Movement in 1919 and the April 19 Student Revolution in 1960.

The May 18 anniversary should be a turning point in shedding light on the tragic incident by fully revealing the truth behind the massacre. Former members of the military junta have so far remained silent on who ordered troops to fire at pro-democracy protesters, although the late Presidents Chun and Roh Tae-woo were convicted of treason for the bloody crackdown.

True reconciliation is possible only when perpetrators acknowledge and apologize for their atrocities and victims forgive them. Yet it is regrettable that many surviving perpetrators have refused to admit their misdeeds while denying their involvement in the killings. Even some right-wing members of the PPP's predecessor party had tried to distort facts about the movement, describing protesters as "mobs" or "rioters." Some extreme rightists made groundless allegations that North Korean agents incited the uprising.

But the May 18 uprising has been firmly established as the pro-democracy movement against the military junta, which took power through a military coup following the assassination of then President Park Chung-hee in October 1979. Therefore the country should no longer delay including the uprising in the Constitution in order to defend our hard-won democracy.

Another good news is that the Yoon government has decided to allow all participants in the memorial ceremony to sing together "March for the Beloved," a protest song symbolizing the uprising. The decision will end conflicts over the song, which former conservative presidents banned memorial participants from singing along to, inviting criticism from bereaved families and progressives.

The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and other opposition parties should not try to diminish Yoon's move by arguing that the massive memorial ceremony is aimed at wooing voters in Gwangju and the Jeolla provinces ahead of the June 1 local election. We hope that the event will serve as an opportunity to overcome regional antagonism, go beyond ideological conflicts, forge bipartisanship and promote national unity.




 
miguel
Top 10 Stories
1North Korean escapees tell how nuclear tests ruined their health, hometown North Korean escapees tell how nuclear tests ruined their health, hometown
230 people purchased 8,000 homes: data 30 people purchased 8,000 homes: data
3Korea urged to adopt China exit strategy amid hegemonic war Korea urged to adopt China exit strategy amid hegemonic war
4[INTERVIEW] Putin uses summit with NK leader to stop Seoul from helping Ukraine: expert INTERVIEWPutin uses summit with NK leader to stop Seoul from helping Ukraine: expert
5Foreign ministry asks Japan to investigate case of Korean poisoned with bleach in Tokyo Foreign ministry asks Japan to investigate case of Korean poisoned with bleach in Tokyo
6Unfreezing of funds not likely to restore Korea-Iran ties Unfreezing of funds not likely to restore Korea-Iran ties
7Seoul plans to build Jamsil Sports MICE Complex Seoul plans to build Jamsil Sports MICE Complex
8Merck emphasizes digitalization in semiconductor market Merck emphasizes digitalization in semiconductor market
9Yanolja's aggressive expansion results in voluntary redundancy program Yanolja's aggressive expansion results in voluntary redundancy program
10Global oil price surge stokes stagflation concerns Global oil price surge stokes stagflation concerns
Top 5 Entertainment News
1'30 Days' promises laughter, unlikely romance '30 Days' promises laughter, unlikely romance
2ITZY's Lia takes break to put mental health first ITZY's Lia takes break to put mental health first
3Rowoon leaves SF9 to focus on acting career Rowoon leaves SF9 to focus on acting career
4Invasion of 'smart' albums Invasion of 'smart' albums
5Netflix's 'Song of the Bandits' blends western action with Korean period series Netflix's 'Song of the Bandits' blends western action with Korean period series
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group