[🔴LIVE] 제46주년 5·18 민주화운동 기념식

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:05][Music] [Music] Everyone please take your seats [Music].

[00:00:34]hello? I am announcer Yeon Bin-nam, hosting the 46th anniversary commemoration ceremony of the May 18 Democratization Movement.

[00:00:48]This place, 518 Democracy Square, is a place where the burning aspirations and shouts of 1980 are infused. We will now begin the 46th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony of the May 18 Democratization Movement at Democracy Square, which lives and breathes in the embrace of the citizens.

[00:01:08]First, we will raise the national flag here at the former South Jeolla Provincial Office, where democracy was defended to the very end 46 years ago. Mr. Lee Seung-ju, nephew of Warrant Officer Go Yun-sang, was at the flag raising ceremony. Chonnam National University Student Council President Yoon Dok-eun will be joined by Park Young-soo, the last broadcaster at the Provincial Office during the May 18 Democratization Movement.

[00:01:35]Everyone, please stand up and face the national flag on the roof of the former South Jeolla Provincial Office. Those who are physically incapacitated, please pay your respects while seated.

[00:01:49]Salute the national flag.

[00:01:53][Music] [Music] [Music] Before the proud Taegeukgi, I firmly pledge to devote my loyalty to the eternal [Music] glory of a free and just Republic of Korea. no see. We will sing the national anthem again right away. We will all sing the national anthem up to the fourth verse, led by Baritone Kim Ji-wook.

[00:02:48][Music] [Music] [Music] Until the water and mountains [Music][Song] become sweet [Song ] May God protect our [Music][Song] nation, long live the military examination, a thousand li, splendid gratitude [Music][Song] As a Korean person [Song] let us [ Music] preserve it [Song] On Namsan [Music][Song] I offer my hand and place temple food [Music] [Song] The sound of the wind is unchanging [Music] Our [Music][Song] spirit is the Mugunghwa three thousand li [ Song] splendid [Music] As a human alternative, let us [Music] preserve it in advance [Song] Even if autumn [Song] accuses us [Music] Without clouds [Song][Music] Bright [Song] We are different [Music] the farewell group [ Song] Mugunghwa three thousand li [Song] Splendid land [Music] [ Song] As an alternative, let us [Music ] [Song] preserve this [Music][Song] With ideals and our foreheads [Music] loyalty [Song] Though it is all easy [Song][Music] Let us love our country, though we are joyful [Song], let us [Song ], let us [Song][Music], let us [Music] challenge the great nation.

[00:06:42][Song] Next, we will observe a moment of silence for the martyrs, fallen heroes, and those who sacrificed their lives in the May 18 Democratization Movement.

[00:06:58]All Silent [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Please all take your seats.

[00:08:17]Next, we will watch the theme video. Following that, there will be a declaration of commitment containing the hopes of May. there is.

[00:08:42][Music] [Music] [Music] [ Music] [Music] [Music] Citizens of Gangju, our brothers and sisters are dying right now. Please come out to the dojong [music] and save our brothers and sisters.

[00:10:07][Music] เฮ [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Today we will be defeated.

[00:11:11]However, tomorrow's history will remember us as victors. Please survive and become witnesses to history.

[00:11:23]Starting tomorrow, please fight yourselves. [Music] [Music] [Music] Greetings, greetings, greetings. Let's greet each other. In 1980, South Korea faced a turbulent period in which the constitutional order collapsed.

[00:12:15]However, Gwangju in May showed great civic consciousness what democracy is.

[00:12:24]However, Gwangju's proud history was thoroughly distorted and concealed by the new military regime, and for a long time, it was recorded as a riot.

[00:12:37]However, lies could never obscure the truth. In 1988, the Special Committee for the Investigation of the Truth of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement was established, and the concealed truth began to be revealed.

[00:12:59]Subsequently, the May 18 Democratization Movement was recognized as a symbol of democracy and human rights, which are universal human values; in 2011, records of the May 18 Democratization Movement were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, and in 2024, author Han Kang, who wrote the novel *Boys and the Moon* which captures the truth of Gwangju, achieved the feat of winning the Nomel Prize for Literature. [Music] Just when everyone was at ease, the victorious Aegop, who threatens democracy, came to visit. On December 3, 2024, the Yoon Seong-yeol regime declared an illegal state of emergency and plotted an insurrection. At that moment, we remembered May, and the spirit of May was reconnected to the light. The voluntary [musical] participation of citizens to uphold democracy led to a revolution of light and enabled the rectification of democratic history.

[00:14:25]In a government where the compassion of citizens who defended the human plains and democratic values ​​to the end against state violence has become the master, please ensure that the spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement is included in the Preamble of the Constitution to pass on democratic values to future generations and firmly establish the constitutional order.

[00:14:41]thank you [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Yes. It was a passionate declaration filled with aspiration in May. The May Spirit is a noble value that has defended democracy at every moment when it was in danger in the Republic of Korea. I pray that the May 18 Democratization Movement will forever shine as a steadfast value of the Republic of Korea.

[00:15:22]Next, the President will deliver the commemorative address. there is.

[00:15:36][Music] [Music] [Music] Respected fellow citizens, citizens of Gwangju and residents of Jeonnam, and the distinguished contributors and bereaved families of the May 18 Democratization Movement who are joining us in this precious occasion. This is the 46th May, grown with a spirit of coexistence and integration, overcoming the deep scars of state violence.

[00:16:25]46 years ago, the new military forces ruthlessly trampled upon the laws of democratization and the military procurement of the dictatorship, and indiscriminately massacred the sovereign people with the guns and swords given to them by our people to protect the people.

[00:16:51]Due to the ruthless dictatorship that blocked the truth to cover up brutal atrocities, countless victims could not rest in peace, and the bereaved families and victims had to endure years of agony.

[00:17:08]However, just like spring flowers that eventually raise their heads in search of the light even in that pitch-black darkness, Gwangju's yearning for a better world was never broken. The more they tried to conceal it, the clearer the truth became, and the more they tried to hide it, the wider and further the spirit of May spread.

[00:17:36]And finally, the moon was revived by countless consciences seeking to stand on the side of truth and justice. The spirits of May, reborn in this way, saved today's living on the night of December 3, 2024.

[00:18:00]The living answered the call of the dead, and those who left first raised up the present standing before despair. Just like the citizens of Gwangju in May 1980 who rose up and faced the martial law troops, the great people of Korea in 2024 also blocked the armed martial law troops with their bare hands. The world of great unity that Gwangju blossomed with all its might in that fleeting moment when unfavorable power withdrew in May 1980 was resurrected as a revolution of light defending democracy with each other's warmth on that harsh winter night of December 2024.

[00:19:00]Taking this opportunity, I bow my head before the noble spirits of the May Democratic Martyrs who willingly sacrificed themselves for democracy, expressing my infinite respect and deep sorrow. I also extend my sincere respect and words of comfort to the distinguished individuals and their bereaved families who have lit the lamp of the times with their unceasing tears. It is on the solid foundation of the May 18 spirit, which ultimately defended the dignity of humanity even in the face of horrific violence, that our Republic of Korea has been able to walk the path of democracy and prosperity. Because of you, our democracy was able to rise again without collapsing at every crossroads of our turbulent modern history. I will never forget that noble spirit and that sacrifice and devotion.

[00:20:18]Respected citizens. It was a question from May that was not yet finished, by December 3rd. There is no democracy that comes by itself, nor is there a democracy that is preserved by itself.

[00:20:43]We have once again painfully confirmed on the ground that the power to perfect democracy comes solely from the earnest aspirations and actions of the sovereign people.

[00:21:03]The government of popular sovereignty will continuously record, remember, compensate, and honor May 18 so that Gwangju in 1980, which saved the Republic of Korea of ​​today, can continue to ceaselessly save the future of the Republic of Korea. I would like to share three pledges and promises regarding this matter before the spirits of the May martyrs and the people of Korea.

[00:21:24]First, I will do my utmost to ensure that the spirit of May 18 is included in the preamble of the Constitution. The April 19 Revolution, the Bu-Ma Uprising, and the May 18 Democratization Movement led through the June Revolution to the Candlelight Revolution and the Revolution of Light. In order for the May Spirit—the driving force that proved popular sovereignty and the pride of modern Korean society—to take deeper root in our society, we must proudly engrave the democratic ideals of the May 18 Democratization Movement upon the Constitution of the Republic of Korea.

[00:22:33]As this was a continuous promise to the people made by all political circles transcending political interests, I earnestly request the bipartisan cooperation and determination of the Yeo-Ye-Ya. I also ask for the unwavering support and encouragement of the people of South Korea, extending beyond the citizens of Gwangju and Jeonnam.

[00:22:55]Second, we will make this South Jeolla Provincial Office, which officially opens today, a living sanctuary of K-democracy where global citizens can learn and remember together. The South Jeolla Provincial Office was the final site of civil resistance against illegal state violence. Do not the bullet marks etched all over the wardens silently testify to the brutality of that day and the daring courage of the citizen militia?

[00:23:51]Through Han Kang’s novel *The Boy Comes*, which was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, Gwangju in May is now being reborn as a universal value of humanity that global citizens remember together.

[00:24:14]The government will actively support the spirit of sacrifice and solidarity, fully engraved at the Jeonnam Provincial Office, so that it may be passed down as the pride of the Republic of Korea and a value for future generations.

[00:24:23]Third, we will establish an ex officio registration system for May 18th Democratic Merit Recipients so that not a single sacrifice is overlooked.

[00:24:42]At the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery, which I visited before coming here, Martyr Yang Chang-geun, who fell to the bullets of the martial law troops, was resting. The boy of this year, who must have been more pained than anyone by the trampled justice of his homeland, is still not fully recognized as a May 18 Democracy Meritorious Person because he has no family to count on his behalf to apply for registration.

[00:25:11]Now, the government will become the family of each and every victim of state violence.

[00:25:30]The state will fulfill its responsibilities to the very end to ensure that not a single person who defended democracy and the homeland with unwavering determination is left alone.

[00:25:39]Respected citizens. A complex crisis involving multiple layers of factors, such as weakening growth potential, deepening inequality, upheaval in the international order, and the extinction of regional areas, is simultaneously threatening the present and future of our Republic of Korea. Although I am passing through the midst of the waves of reverence together with the people, I see the hope for the future of our Republic of Korea in the path Gwangju has walked. Even amidst the brutal violence of the dictatorial power led by guns, didn't Gwangju in May 1980 share the joy of living together, and didn't waves of love and solidarity surge along Geumnam-ro? Even in the midst of loneliness, they soothed each other's wounds, and even in the midst of despair, they supported each other, gathering their last warmth to sprout seeds of hope.

[00:26:58]In the square of coexistence, consideration, and peace created by its citizens, Gwangju demonstrated the true image of a democratic republic.

[00:27:12]That shining spirit of May 18 has led our Republic of Korea along a path of new change and hope at every turn of history, and [clears throat] is now leading to a new challenge: the integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam. I believe that the hands joined by Gwangju and Jeonnam will stand tall as a new milestone of mutual growth and coexistence, and will rewrite a history of hope for balanced development.

[00:27:49]Therefore, the memory of May and the spirit of May 18 are by no means a legacy of the past. It is the courage to resolutely stand against injustice, the solidarity to overcome crises together, and the name of hope for a better tomorrow. The People's Sovereign Government will faithfully inherit the spirit of May 18 and boldly advance toward the nation where the people are the masters, which Gwangju so earnestly dreamed of. I believe that is the way to fulfill the responsibilities of the living and ensure that the noble sacrifice of the May martyrs is not in vain. I will do my utmost to overcome the current crisis with the power of freedom, equality, and unity left behind by Gwangju in May, and to hand down a more glorious and brighter future.

[00:29:06]Thank you.

[00:29:12][Music] [Music] [Music] Thank you for your words.

[00:29:35]In the square defended by the sacrifice and dedication of Gwangju in May, we embraced May once again and shouted for democracy. I will remember that we are together today, just like that day.

[00:29:48]The following is the order of the commemorative performance. The May 18 Democratization Movement has been reborn as many works in the memories of countless people and writers. We will now enjoy the recitation of solidarity and harmony composed of those stories, and the memories of May.

[00:30:13][Music] [Music] It was a day in May. It was a day in May 1980. It was a night in May 1980 in Gwangju. Do not sing of May with flips falling in the wind.

[00:30:56]May did not come so lyrically like a [music] person, nor did May lie down so lyrically like [music] Bulip. In May 1980, facing the provincial government building, we were the waves. In May 1980, standing before his blood-stained Taegeukgi, we were the waves.

[00:31:37]Bullets raining down like hail. A pure soul that separated life and death and was unstained by the world.

[00:31:51]The teenagers who guarded the dawn seeped deep into the ground [music] with sorrow on the rice paddy ridges of Geumnam-ro near the Provincial Office. O Gwangju, O light, O Geumnam-ro and Chungjang-ro, O streets, streets, alleys, O May 1980, O democracy, O eternal hope of our nation, O sacred fruit that can only be harvested with blood and sweat, O [Music] [Music] If I can gain freedom through the sacrifice of my small body, I will gladly give it up. there is.

[00:33:16]I am a human being.

[00:33:20]What should I do?

[00:33:24]Why do I have a conscience? Are you going to stab and hurt me like this? [Music] I want to live.

[00:33:48]My heart feels like it's going to burst.

[00:33:57]Could a survivor be this ashamed?

[00:34:03]After you [music] died, I could not hold a funeral, so [music] my eyes that saw you became [music].

[00:34:20]My height, having heard your voice, has become a temple.

[00:34:29]Your lungs, which inhaled your breath, became a lion.

[00:34:39]Spring flowers, willow trees, raindrops, and snow crystals became the spring. [Music] The mornings that come every day, and the evenings that come every day have become the four. I want to shout something out loud until my heart bursts.

[00:35:24][Music] I want to revive the history of that May day once again.

[00:35:34]Today is May, under the blue sky and clear sunshine, flags fly, and the living and the dead gather together; let us lay our heads on the cross. Singing Bowol's song. Let's go together. Let's walk this path ahead of [music] and not tell me to come behind you. Let's not stay behind and try to stop you from going first.

[00:36:22]Ten out of ten, a thousand out of a thousand, linking arms shoulder to shoulder, each [music] [music] yes. I would like to express my gratitude to the members of the Tobakgi Theater Company and the students of Hanbit High School for demonstrating the great May spirit through their reading.

[00:37:05]Next, a special performance commemorating the opening of the former South Jeolla Provincial Office will follow. The South Jeolla Provincial Office, the final site of the May 18 Democratization Movement, has returned to the embrace of the citizens today, 46 years later. The special performance "May Chanran" was prepared to share the joy and emotion of the opening with our citizens who carried on the spirit of May 18 and defended democracy in the Republic of Korea. We expressed, through various sounds and dance, the sight of the cheers and passion that filled the old Jeonnam Provincial Office that day awakening with a great resonance and spreading again as a wave of hope. no see.

[00:37:50][Music][Song] I can [Music] [Song] think I will be saved if I am silent.

[00:38:16][Music] [Music] La [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music ] [ Music] [Music] [Music] เฮ [Music] [Music] [ Song] Silent [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Ah [Scream] [Music] You Ah. [Scream] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] You [Music] Nani [Music] [Scream] [Crying] Ah. [Scream] [Music] [ Music] [Music] [Music] Ah.

[00:43:06]This [crying] Ah. [Scream] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] He. A [Music] You ah [Scream] [Crying] [Music] ah [Scream] Everyone [Crying] [Music] [ Scream] ah [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [ Music] [Applause] After a long wait, the doors have reopened.

[00:46:28]We hope that the Jeonnam Provincial Office will become a space that conveys the values ​​of May and the hope of the community.

[00:46:29]Finally, we will sing the March for the Beloved.

[00:46:34]Everyone, please stand up, clench your fists tightly, and sing vigorously to the accompaniment.

[00:46:58]Without love, honor, or name, the hot scent of a lifetime of sleep is gone, only the depth remains.

[00:47:16]Until my day comes, I will not waver. Even if I stand firm and press down, no wounds will be inflicted.

[00:47:32]Here, shouting the appeal, because I am the living God, follow the living God. This concludes the 46th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony of the May 18 Democratization Movement. thank you so much. The President and First Lady will now proceed to view the Old Jeonnam Dochang.

[00:48:23]Please have any accompanying guests who were notified in advance come forward to the stage now. For safe movement, attendees are asked to move from their seats