PPP committee stresses democracy during Gwangju visit

“We still remember the huge achievement that the Gwangju Democrization Movement made in the progression of democracy,” Ihn Yo-han, People Power Party innovation commmittee head said. “To borrow what the Jews say, ‘Forgive but never forget.’”

People Power Party's innovation committee head Ihn Yo-han, John Linton, kneels in front of the tomb of people still missing during the Gwangju Uprising in 1980 at the memorial in Gwangju on Monday. {YONHAP]

The 13 members of the People Power Party (PPP) innovation committee led by Ihn Yo-han, also known as John Linton, visited the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju on Monday.

It was the committee's first official schedule since launching last week.

At the cemetery, Ihn emphasized Gwangju’s role in the development of democracy in Korea.

Ihn wrote “Gwangju is completing Korea’s democracy,” in the guest book.

“We still remember the huge achievement that the Gwangju Democrization Movement made in the progression of democracy,” Ihn said. “To borrow what the Jews say, ‘Forgive but never forget.’”

“There should be no more sacrifice of that kind in this land,” Ihn said.

Ihn stressed that future generations should learn the meaning of the May 18 Democratization Movement, and the central government must embrace the families and descendants of those killed in Gwangju's pro-democracy uprising in 1980.

“We should become a country where people can speak of their ancestors, their fathers and mothers with pride wherever they are,” Ihn said.

Ihn, a naturalize Korean who was born in Jeonju, North Jeolla, and was raised in Suncheon, South Jeolla, has stressed the importance of unity between the rival Jeolla and Gyeongsang regions.

The Jeolla provinces, in the southwest of Korea, have long supported the Democratic Party, while the Gyeongsang provinces in the southeast have been the political base of the PPP.

Ihn, a first-year medical student at the time of the uprising, worked as an interpreter for the city's pro-democracy civilian militia.

“One thing I remember of when I was working as an interpreter was why those that were supposed to protect us against the North [Koreans] were pointing their guns on us in the South,” Ihn said. “I still remember the words of the head of the militia asking why the people of Gwangju were called communists when their day started by singing the national anthem and shouting anti-communist slogans.”

In Gwangju, Ihn also met with the three organizations related to the May 18 Democratization Movement and promised to ask President Yoon Suk Yeol about including the uprising in the preamble of the Constitution.

“When President Yoon was a candidate he promised to have the uprising in the preamble to the Constitution,” said Hwang Il-bong, who heads an organization of people injured in the May 18 Democratization Movement. “We also demand that people who participated in the uprising be promoted to people of national merit.”

Ihn replied that he will do his best to deliver their demands and see that they are met.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]