President Lee: "Buma Democratic Protests and May 18 Democratization Movement Must Be Included in the Preamble to the Constitution"
President Lee emphasized that the spirit of the Buma Democratic Protests and the May 18 Democratization Movement should be enshrined in the preamble to the Constitution. This is interpreted as a commitment to clearly engrave in the Constitution the historical significance of these two events, which made major contributions to the development of democracy in the Republic of Korea.
In remarks made this afternoon, President Lee urged the ruling and opposition parties to join forces to put this into practice. As the preamble to the Constitution is a crucial part that embodies the nation's identity and direction, this proposal is receiving significant attention within political circles.
The Buma Democratic Protests were a pro-democracy movement that took place in the Busan and Masan regions in 1979, while the May 18 Democratization Movement occurred in Gwangju in 1980. Both events are regarded as vital turning points in modern Korean history for the preservation of democracy.
It appears that the ruling and opposition parties will now begin discussions regarding the President's proposal. As constitutional amendment requires the consent of the National Assembly, public attention is focused on what kind of consensus the political sphere will reach moving forward.