Government will not attend June Democratic Uprising Ceremony

For the first time in 16 years, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security has decided not to host a ceremony commemorating the June Democratic Uprising. This is because the affiliated organization in charge of the ceremony sponsored a group calling for the president's resignation.

The Ministry of Public Administration and Security announced on Friday that it had decided not to host the 36th anniversary of the June Democratic Uprising, which was scheduled to be held at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on Saturday morning. Since the June Democratic Uprising was enacted to celebrate as a national holiday in 2007, the ceremony has been hosted by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security and organized by the Korea Democracy Foundation, a public organization affiliated with the Ministry of Public Administration and Security. At this year's ceremony, Vice Minister Han Chang-seop, who is acting as Minister Lee Sang-min, who is undergoing an impeachment trial, was scheduled to deliver a commemorative speech.

This decision was influenced by the fact that the Foundation was listed as a sponsor for an event with the slogan "President Yoon Suk Yeol to resign." This is related to the paper advertisement published on Thursday by the 32nd National Committee of National Remembrance for Martyrs and Victims of National Democracy, which included the phrase that the current administration should step down.

"It is unacceptable for a public agency under the Ministry of Public Administration and Security to sponsor civic groups that would wage political attacks against the government," a ministry official said. The ministry decided to conduct a special audit to review the Korea Democracy Foundation's operation and status in general from next week.

“The organization in question included political content, such as demanding the president resign without consulting with us,” the Korea Democracy Foundation said in its briefing material on Thursday. “We have notified (that organization) of the cancellation of the selection, and we will not execute the subsidy provision.”


4g1@donga.com