May 18 Groups Demand Stance on 'Distortion,' but PPP Leader Remains Silent

[Anchor]

Representatives of organizations related to the May 18 Democratization Movement visited the People Power Party headquarters today (August 21) to protest. While they urged People Power Party Leader Chang Dong-hyuk to clearly state his position regarding a seminar hosted by lawmaker Lee Jin-suk, Chang has maintained his silence.

Reporter Park Chan-beom has the details.

[Reporter]

In front of the People Power Party headquarters this afternoon.

Representatives of May 18-related organizations, including the May 18 Memorial Foundation, gathered with pickets reading "Expel Lee Jin-suk."

They demanded that People Power Party Leader Chang Dong-hyuk stop remaining silent on the distortion of the democratization movement's spirit, and delivered a questionnaire to the party asking whether the disparagement of the May 18 movement is the official stance of the People Power Party.

[Shin Kuk-jung / President of the May 18 Democratization Movement Injured Persons Association: An event that has been historically, judicially, and nationally confirmed and agreed upon is being disparaged under the guise of an academic conference....]

This follows a series of anti-historical remarks made at a National Assembly seminar on the May 18 movement hosted by lawmaker Lee Jin-suk on the 13th.

[Lee Young-hoon / Co-representative of the New History National Movement (on the 13th): It was a ten-day disturbance that took place in Gwangju in May 1980.]

However, lawmaker Lee Jin-suk claims that "these are the personal views of the seminar presenters."

Regarding the Democratic Party and others demanding an apology, she even posted a video on social media titled "Group Lynching" to portray herself as a victim.

[Lee Jin-suk / People Power Party Lawmaker (on the 19th, National Assembly Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee): The responsibility for the (committee's disruption) lies with the Democratic Party, which is effectively carrying out collective and verbal violence against me....]

Yet, internal criticism against lawmaker Lee is not insignificant within the People Power Party, with some suggesting she is acting this way to cultivate hardline party supporters into her own fandom.

A lawmaker from the Yeongnam region clicked their tongue in an interview with SBS, saying, "Lawmaker Lee is handing far too good of material to the Democratic Party."

The Democratic Party, which has been demanding that the People Power Party expel lawmaker Lee, submitted its own disciplinary motion to the National Assembly today.

[Ahn Do-geol / Democratic Party Lawmaker (Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Party Chairman): We want to clearly convey our stance that this matter can never be forgiven.]

The People Power Party leadership has distanced itself, stating that disciplinary action against lawmaker Lee has not been reviewed.

Critics point out that Leader Chang is maintaining his silence because he fears alienating his core hardline support base more than he fears critical public opinion both inside and outside the party.

The People Power Party's platform and policy book enacted in 2020, "Promise for Everyone's Tomorrow," clearly states: "We do not reject the past based on partisan logic," and "We carry on the spirit of democratization movements in modern history, such as the March 15 Uprising, the April 19 Revolution, and the May 18 Democratization Movement."

(Photo courtesy of SBS | Video by Lee Seung-hwan and Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing by Lee Seung-hee | Design by Kim Ye-ji)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.