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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Democratic Party slams ruling party lawmaker over Gwangju Uprising wreath

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Democratic Party criticized a ruling party lawmaker for sending a congratulatory wreath to a high school baseball team that had mocked the May 18th Gwangju Uprising.
  • The party stated the lawmaker's action was inappropriate and questioned their historical awareness, contrasting it with the students' mature apology.
  • The incident involves the Baejae High School baseball team, which received a six-month suspension for their actions and subsequently visited the opposing team to apologize.

The Democratic Party has strongly criticized Lee Jin-sook, a lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party, for sending a congratulatory wreath to Baejae High School. The school's baseball team recently received a six-month suspension for mocking the May 18th Gwangju Uprising during a game.

Park Kyung-mi, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, stated that Lee's action was "highly inappropriate and raises doubts about even the minimal historical awareness." She contrasted the lawmaker's "immature" gesture with the students' "mature" apology. The controversy stems from the Baejae High baseball team's use of a "Starbucks cheer song" that allegedly ridiculed the Gwangju Uprising while playing against Gwangju Jeil High School.

Students apologized maturely, and the National Assembly member sent an immature wreath.

— Park Kyung-miDemocratic Party spokesperson criticizing a ruling party lawmaker's actions.

Following the incident, the team, along with coaches, parents, and staff, was scheduled to visit Gwangju Jeil High School and the May 18th Democratic Cemetery to offer apologies. The day before this planned visit, Lee reportedly sent a wreath to Baejae High School with messages including, "What does Starbucks have to do with May 18th?" and "We are with the students of Baejae High."

The action of a National Assembly member from the People Power Party sending a congratulatory wreath to Baejae High School is highly inappropriate and raises doubts about even the minimal historical awareness.

— Park Kyung-miFurther criticism of the lawmaker's gesture in the context of the Gwangju Uprising incident.

Park Kyung-mi praised the students' recognition of their wrongdoing and their sincere apology, as well as the Gwangju Jeil High community's "broad-minded" acceptance. However, she expressed strong disappointment with Lee's actions, suggesting that some within the People Power Party are attempting to politicize the issue. "The action of a National Assembly member from the People Power Party sending a congratulatory wreath to Baejae High School is highly inappropriate and raises doubts about even the minimal historical awareness," Park stated.

The Democratic Party spokesperson urged the People Power Party to reflect on their actions, emphasizing that politicians should mediate conflicts and heal wounds, not fuel partisan divisions. "The role of a politician representing the people is not to send wreaths and incite factional fights, but to watch over and firmly support this situation so that it can become a valuable opportunity for students to learn the noble values of democracy and mutual respect," Park added.

The role of a politician representing the people is not to send wreaths and incite factional fights, but to watch over and firmly support this situation so that it can become a valuable opportunity for students to learn the noble values of democracy and mutual respect.

— Park Kyung-miStating the expected role of politicians in handling such sensitive issues.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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