Gov't Heads Denounce Lawmakers' False Claims About May 18 Movement

By Kim Hyun-bin

Fifteen local government heads issued a statement, Sunday, denouncing the distortion and disparagement of the May 18 Democratization Movement in Gwangju by conservative politicians.

They also called for a law to prevent distortion and defamation of the 1980 pro-democracy movement from recurring.

'The May 18 movement was the most important democratization movement to enhance our democracy,' the statement said. 'However, some people are using it politically to cut down and distort its meaning.

We urge the National Assembly to pass a special law that punishes distortion of history.'

The joint statement came after three lawmakers from the conservative main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) ― Lee Jong-myeong, Kim Soon-rye and Kim Jin-tae ― made comments on the Gwangju Uprising earlier this month, raising a conspiracy theory that the movement was a riot influenced by North Korean operatives.

The 15 included Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seob and Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong, but Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin and North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo, both from the LKP, did not join.

'As the distortion aims to deny the country's laws and democracy, we reject their political move to distort the historic May 18 movement,' the statement added.

'The absurd remarks regarding the movement created a shock throughout the nation. This is not a problem just for the city of Gwangju, but an issue that affects the whole country.

We have released the joint statement in opposition to their thoughtless words,' Park said.

The Gwangju mayor called on the three LKP lawmakers that caused the ruckus to be expelled.

'The May 1980 massacre became a massacre of absurd words, the residents of...