President Yoon Seok-yeol attended the ceremony commemorating the May 18 Democratization Movement for the second year in a row following last year. This time she was with ‘Mother of May’.
Unlike last year, when he sang ‘March for Beloved’ while holding hands with the person next to him, this year, President Yoon clenched and shook his right fist to finish the song.
President Yoon attended the ceremony commemorating the 43rd anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement held at the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju on the morning of the same day. After getting off at the entrance of the cemetery, President Yoon walked to the ‘Gate of Democracy’ and personally greeted 15 ‘Mothers of May’ who lost their families during the May 18th, including King Ki-dan and Kim Jeom-rye, and entered with them.
May mothers held hands, and President Yoon walked side by side in the middle between them. Last year, President Yoon entered with the bereaved families of May 18th, keeping pace with each other.
President Yoon walked for a long time and arrived at the ceremony hall. President Yoon sat with the mothers of May in the seat prepared in the center of the first row. Following the moderator’s guidance, the attendees rose to their seats and greeted President Yoon and May’s mothers with applause.
President Yoon Seok-yeol enters with members of the May 18 Mothers’ Association at the 43rd anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement held at the National May 18th National Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju on the 18th. (Presidential Office Correspondents of Photography) / Photo = Newsis
President Yoon also laid flowers and burned incense with the mothers of May. Unlike most of the attendees, including May’s mother, wearing raincoats, President Yoon wore a black suit and black tie, and had a solemn expression throughout.
After the ‘ Video of May’, the progress report of two student representatives, and the dedication performance, President Yoon gave a commemorative speech for the 5·18 Democratization Movement. President Yoon stood on the podium, greeted the attendees from left to right, and then began his speech.
President Yoon Seok-yeol burns incense at a ceremony commemorating the 43rd anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement held at the National May 18th National Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju on the 18th. (Presidential Office Correspondents of Photography) / Photo = Newsis
President Yoon said, “The spirit of May is the spirit of the Constitution of liberal democracy itself, a valuable asset that we must inherit and a central body that unites us.” In particular, he referred to the ‘spirit of May’ 10 times and emphasized national integration by emphasizing “Under the spirit of May, we are all one.”
Regarding the ‘Mother of May’, she said, “Those who have dedicated their lives so that the spirit of May does not lose its light even though they hold the sorrow of losing their beloved husband, child, and brother in their hearts.” Once again, I am deeply grateful for the courage of those who are going.”
President Yoon Seok-yeol greets the 43rd anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement held at the National May 18th National Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju on the 18th, before giving a commemorative address. (Presidential Office Correspondents of Photography) / Photo = Newsis
The mothers of May who listened to President Yoon’s speech even shed tears in between. When President Yoon said that he would support Gwangju and Honam to achieve the advancement of artificial intelligence ( AI ) and cutting-edge science and technology, the audience erupted in applause for the first time. During President Yoon’s speech that day, applause came out a total of four times.
During President Yoon’s speech, Progressive Party Standing Representative Yoon Hee-sook and Rep. Kang Seong-hee took off their raincoats and took out pickets reading “The full text of the 5/18 spirit constitution!”
President Yoon Seok-yeol gives a commemorative speech at the 43rd anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement held at the National May 18th National Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju on the 18th. (Presidential Office Correspondents of Photography) / Photo = Newsis
At the end of the ceremony, all the participants stood up and sang the ‘March for Beloved’. President Yoon alone clenched his right fist and sang along to the end of the song.
President Yoon looked at both sides at the moderator’s guidance to hold hands with the person next to him, but when there was no reaction,토스카지노 he waved his hand alone. At last year’s ceremony, President Yoon held hands with the person next to him and sang a march for his beloved.
Lee Jae-myeong, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jung-mi, president of the Justice Party, Yong Hye-in, permanent representative of the Basic Income Party, and Yoon, standing representative of the Basic Income Party, clenched their fists in their right hands and sang. Right next to them, Representative Kim Ki-hyun, Constitutional Court Chief Yoo Nam-seok, Supreme Court Chief Kim Myung-soo, and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo held hands and sang.
On the 18th, domestic and foreign guests, including People’s Power Representative Kim Ki-hyun and Democratic Party Representative Lee Jae-myung, are singing the “March for Beloved” at the 43rd anniversary of the 5/18 Democratization Movement held at the National May 18th National Cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju. (Co-report)/Photo=News 1
After the ceremony, President Yoon moved to pay his respects at the cemetery. President Yoon instructed Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Park Min-sik, “Expand the Democratic Hall rest area (at the entrance of the cemetery) to secure space so that the bereaved families who visit the cemetery where their families are buried can have lunch and rest.”
Representative Lee Jae-myung met with reporters and said, “The government and the ruling party responsible for state violence should not only reflect on, commemorate, and commemorate in words, but show through action.” Make sure to keep your promises.”
On this day, about 90 lawmakers, including the leadership, attended the ceremony, and 14 ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Kyung-ho Chu and Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, and staff members of the Presidential Office attended. Last year, the ‘Mammoth Corps’, including the presidential staff, ministers, and all members of the People’s Power, came together. Previously, former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye visited the ceremony only in their first year in office, and former President Moon Jae-in attended three times in 2017, 2019, and 2020.