The leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) said Thursday he supports including in the Constitution the spirit of the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju as he wooed voters in the liberal stronghold of Honam ahead of April’s general elections.

Han Dong-hoon, chairman of the PPP’s emergency committee, made the remark during his first visit to Gwangju since taking over as the PPP chief, saying the spirit of the Gwangju Democratization Movement is identical to that of the Constitution.

“Safeguarding democracy in a difficult situation is May’s Gwangju spirit. That exactly matches the spirit of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea,” Han said during a meeting with the PPP’s regional chapter in Gwangju, 267 kilometers south of Seoul.

“If the May 18 spirit is included in the preamble of the Constitution, I believe it will make the Constitution richer, clearer and prouder,” he said. “It is not that we simply consent to including it in the Constitution’s preamble, but we will acti
vely push for it. That’s the party’s official position.”

Earlier, Han visited the May 18th National Cemetery and paid tribute to victims of the uprising that was brutally quelled by the then military junta led by late former President Chun Doo-hwan. More than 200 people were killed and thousands wounded.

Including the spirit of the uprising was one of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s campaign pledges.

Han said that revising the Constitution is a complicated matter but added that no one would oppose including the Gwangju uprising spirit in the highest law if it is amended.

Before his visit to the national cemetery, Han paid his respects at the Gwangju Student Independence Memorial Hall, a venue to remember students who participated in the 1929 student independence movement against the Japanese occupation of South Korea.

Han said he also plans to attend an event Saturday celebrating the 100th birthday of late former President Kim Dae-jung. Kim hailed from Honam and is widely revered by people in the region for hi
s lifelong fight for democracy.

“Our party truly wants to be elected in Honam,” Han said. “If that happens, it will not only be a victory for our party, but it will be a priceless, great victory for this country’s politics.”

Source: Yonhap News Agency