Photo/Illutration South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a speech at a ceremony on May 18 in Gwangju, South Korea, to remember those who died 42 years ago in a pro-democracy protest. (Kiyohide Inada)

GWANGJU, South Korea--New South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol called for consolidation in a speech on May 18 to mark a pro-democracy uprising that was squashed by the South Korean military 42 years ago.

In his speech at the ceremony to remember those who died in the Gwangju Uprising, Yoon said, “The ‘spirit of May’ that protected liberal democracy even as blood was shed serves as the foundation for the consolidation of our people.”

He added that liberal democracy and the value of human rights were the philosophy that would bring together the South Korean people as one.

The Gwangju Uprising is considered a major step in South Korea’s move away from a military dictatorship to a democracy.

In the uprising that began on May 18, 1980, about 240 people were either killed or went missing. To this day, researchers are still trying to piece together what occurred and those responsible for the bloody crackdown.

The late Chun Doo Hwan was the military officer in charge of dealing with the pro-democracy protesters, and he served time in prison after being found guilty of insurrection in the late 1990s after he stepped down as president.

Officials in the South Korean president’s office said the speech was intended to demonstrate Yoon’s strong resolve to seek consolidation and reconciliation.

He won the presidential election by the slimmest of margins and the deep divisions that arose in the course of that campaign remain.

Yoon’s support ratings have hovered under 60 percent since he took office on May 10 and the progressive opposition party controls a majority of the National Assembly.

Gwangju and the other municipalities in Jeollanam-do province have long been a stronghold of the progressives due to the roots of the pro-democracy movement in the region.

In past ceremonies marking the Gwangju Uprising, many progressive politicians turned up, but for this year’s event, Yoon, his Cabinet ministers and many conservative politicians also took part.

Yoon likely had his eye on unified local elections that will be held in June and his call for solidarity could be seen as a move to gain broader public support.

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