President Roh: Civil Society Plays Key Role in National Affairs

On May 18, President Roh said, “A civil society, which made remarkable progress after the democratic uprising in the 1980s, should now improve Korea’s level of agreement procedure through creative participation that yields an alternative plan.”

At the “Ceremony of the 25th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising” held at the May 18 National Cemetery in Gwangju, President Roh emphasized in his commemorative address that “a civil society has now emerged as a principal player in leading national affairs, and according to its status, it has to grow into a more mature society.”

In addition, President Roh stated that the Korean people should make a developed democratic culture in which people solve problems through dialogue and comprise while respecting others, fairly compete in accordance with the rules, and accept the results.

President Roh noted that the “courage and sacrifice of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising is a victorious chapter in history that toppled the military dictatorship after becoming a beacon of democratization that led to the June Uprising of 1987,” and President Roh urged people “to hand a honorable and proud history down to the Korean children after creating a blossoming democracy in commemoration of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising’s sublime meaning.”

A total of 2,000 people, including ruling and opposition party leaders and members, such as Uri Party chairman Moon Hee-sang, Grand National Party leader Park Geun-hye, Democratic Labor Party leader Kim Hye-kyung, Millennium Democratic Party floor leader Lee Nak-yeon, civic group members, and bereaved family members of victims attended the ceremony on that day.

Jung-Hun Kim In-Jik Cho jnghn@donga.com cij1999@donga.com