Han Duck-soo Camp: “Remarks on Gwangju Incident were a mere slip of the tongue… Empathy for the pain of May 18th”
Independent presidential candidate Han Duck-soo clarified the controversy surrounding his remarks about the 'Gwangju Incident', stating that it was "just a slip of the tongue."
On the 4th, the spokesperson for Han Duck-soo's camp, Lee Jung-hyun, emphasized that "the candidate has consistently referred to it as the May 18 Democratic Movement in official settings," reinforcing that it was indeed a mistake.
The spokesperson stated, "The candidate’s sincere empathy for the pain of May 18 remains unchanged," and added, "That’s why he visited the May 18 Democratic Cemetery on the day he declared his candidacy."
Additionally, he remarked, "I hope the candidate's sincerity is not distorted as a means of political strife."
Organizations related to the May 18 incident: "Comments that distort history… Deny the value of the democratic movement"
Previously, on the 2nd, Han officially announced his presidential candidacy and first visited the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery, but had to leave after 22 minutes due to strong opposition from Gwangju civic groups.
During that visit, Han gathered both hands to his mouth so his voice would carry and repeatedly exclaimed, "I am also from Honam. We must love each other. We must not hate one another. We need to unite."
After that, on the 3rd, Han met reporters at the Constitutional Memorial Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, during a visit to a gathering of former members of the National Assembly, called 'Heonjeonghui', where he stated, "I believe that the shock and pain of the May 18 Gwangju Incident were felt most acutely by those who were in Gwangju."
The term 'Gwangju Incident' is considered a distortion of history today, as it was previously used by the Chun Doo-hwan regime to deny the legitimacy of the pro-democracy movement.
In response, the three organizations related to the May 18 Democratic Movement (the Association of Bereaved Families, the Association of the Injured, and the Association of Contributors) and the May 18 Memorial Foundation issued a joint statement on the 4th, saying, "He has made significant historical distortion remarks without hesitation and is outright denying the public value of the 'democratic movement.'" They stated, “This is clear evidence that he has not escaped the mindset of those who conspire to deny and distort the May 18 Democratic Movement. He must apologize for the distorted remarks and take responsibility for damaging the spirit of May.”
Additionally, Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung criticized Han's remarks on the 4th, saying, "The term 'Gwangju Incident' implies that the citizens of Gwangju were rioters," and expressed that he could not understand the comment.
Image source: Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is running for president, visited the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju on the afternoon of the 2nd but was blocked by opposition from civic groups. May 2, 2025 / News1. As former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attempted to pay respects at the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery on the 2nd but was obstructed by civic group protests, he shouted, “I am also from Honam.” May 2, 2025 / News1.
