President Lee Jae Myung said the solidarity shown in the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement was revived when the public thwarted the 2024 martial law attempt.
President Lee Jae Myung said at a ceremony in Gwangju that the solidarity shown during the 1980 pro-democracy movement was revived when citizens blocked the 2024 martial law attempt.
"A great Republic of Korea stopped armed martial law forces with its bare hands in 2024, just as the citizens of Gwangju did in May 1980," Lee said. He added that the spirit from Gwangju was reborn as "the revolution of light" in 2024 to safeguard democracy.
Lee pledged to enshrine the spirit of the May 18 movement in the Constitution and called for bipartisan cooperation. He also promised to develop the former site of the South Jeolla provincial government into a tourist destination honoring democratization.
About 3,000 people attended the event, which Lee attended with his wife, Kim Hea Kyung, for the first time as president.
