Controversial Remarks on Gwangju Uprising Draw Legal Threats

Controversial remarks made by Korean history instructor-turned-YouTuber Jeon Han-gil, who alleged that the 1980 Gwangju Uprising was a North Korean-instigated riot, have sparked outrage and condemnation from the Democratic Party and the Gwangju Metropolitan City government. Jeon's claims, disseminated through his YouTube channel, directly contradict established historical facts and legal rulings.

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The reality of a former history instructor-turned-YouTuber desecrating history by spreading falsehoods and distortions cannot be overlooked.

The Democratic Party, through its floor spokesperson Moon Kum-ju, vehemently denounced Jeon's statements as a "desecration of history" and a dangerous attempt to distort the truth. The party emphasized that the involvement of North Korean forces in the Gwangju Uprising has been officially confirmed as baseless by the Ministry of National Defense and definitively ruled as false by the Supreme Court. The party warned that denying these established facts is not a matter of opinion but a destabilizing act that threatens the democratic order.

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Denying this is not a matter of opinion but a dangerous act that shakes the order of democracy.

Furthermore, the Democratic Party drew parallels between Jeon's actions and those of Ji Man-won, a notorious right-wing commentator who was previously imprisoned for spreading false information about the Gwangju Uprising. The party stressed that historical distortions have severe consequences, as evidenced by Ji's legal repercussions. They demanded an immediate apology from Jeon for the "secondary victimization" inflicted upon the Gwangju victims and their families, threatening legal action if he fails to comply. The Gwangju Metropolitan City government echoed these sentiments, stating that it is reviewing the possibility of filing a complaint against Jeon for his defamatory remarks.

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Stop the distortions and sophistry, and immediately apologize for the secondary victimization inflicted upon the souls of Gwangju and the bereaved families and the public.