President Lee: “Truth-finding into the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident to be pursued as a government agenda item; victims’ honor to be restored”

[Financial News]  President Lee Jae-myung said he would pursue truth-finding into the Yeosu-Suncheon October 19 Incident (the Yeo-Sun Incident) as a government agenda item and complete the truth-investigation report to restore the honor of the victims and their bereaved families.
President Lee made the remarks in a memorial address read on his behalf by Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung at the 78th anniversary Yeosu-Suncheon Incident Joint Memorial Ceremony, held on the 19th at Ocheon Green Plaza in Suncheon, Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City. This was the first time a memorial address in the president’s name was officially delivered at the joint ceremony itself.
President Lee said in his memorial address, “The state’s responsibility does not end with the enactment of a law and the start of truth-finding alone,” and, “We will pursue truth-finding into the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident as a government agenda item and complete the truth-investigation report to fully restore the honor of the victims and their bereaved families.” He continued, “Protecting the people is the state’s natural duty,” and said, “I will build a country where unjust victimization by state power does not recur.”  Around 800 people attended the ceremony, including Min Hyung-bae, Special Mayor of Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City; Minister Yun; bereaved family members of Yeosu-Suncheon Incident victims; and citizens.  The ceremony began with pre-ceremony events, including rites from four major religions, tea offerings and ceremonial dances, and continued with a moment of silence for the victims, flower tributes and incense offerings, a report on the incident’s history, remarks by a representative of the bereaved families, the president’s memorial address, presentations of bereaved families’ stories, a reading of the winning work of the Peace Literature Award, a memorial performance and a group rendition of a memorial song.

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