[News Today] “Push for May 18 spirit in Constitution”

[LEAD]

The 46th anniversary ceremony for the May 18 Democratic Movement was held at the square in front of the restored former Jeollanam-do Provincial Government building. President Lee Jae Myung attended the ceremony for the first time since taking office. He called insurrection 'an unfinished question from May', and again pledged to include the spirit of May 18 in the preamble of the Constitution.

[REPORT]

A building with the bullet marks left by martial law troops.

The former facility of the Jeollanam-do Provincial Government, where the last resistance struggle of Gwangju citizens took place in May 1980, has been restored.

A ceremony marking the 46th anniversary of the May 18 pro-democracy movement was also once again held in the square.

President Lee Jae Myung stressed it was the spirit of the Gwangju struggle that stopped martial law.

Lee Jae Myung / President

December 3rd insurrection echoed a warning raised in Gwangju. Democracy does not sustain or defend itself.

He pledged to always honor and remember the May 18 pro-democracy movement and to include its spirit in the preamble of the Constitution.

The president vowed to make the reopened Jeollanam-do Provincial Government building into a sacred site of Korean democracy and establish an ex officio registration system for May 18 Democratic Merit Recipients to ensure no victims of state violence are ever forgotten.

The president also met with the woman who used loudspeakers to warn citizens that martial law troops were entering the city center in May 1980. He offered his words of comfort and encouragement.

Park Young-soon / Broadcasted in May 1980

Martial law troops are coming in. Please come to the provincial office to help save the students and citizens.

Lee Jae Myung / President

I made the same announcement on December 3.

The building of the Jeollanam-do Provincial Government, which was restored to mark the 46th anniversary of the Gwangju pro-democracy movement, was unveiled to the public on Monday.