Mrs. Kim Hye-kyung invites ‘May 18 Mothers’ to Blue House, pays tribute to their noble lives and spirit

[Financial News] On the 26th, Mrs. Kim Hye-kyung invited current and former executives of May Mothers’ House to the Blue House, saying, “I pay deep tribute to the noble lives and spirit of the mothers, who have always embraced the wounds of our society.”
Ahn Gwi-ryeong, deputy spokesperson for the Blue House, said in a written briefing that Mrs. Kim held a luncheon meeting that day at Sangchunjae in the Blue House with 18 current and former executives of May Mothers’ House, including director Lee Chun-hee.
May Children’s House is an incorporated association founded in 2006 by women who took part directly in the May 18 Democratization Movement or set out to find family members who had been detained, as well as women who had worked to restore the honor of family members who were killed.
The luncheon was arranged to fulfill the promise made during last June’s visit to May Mothers’ House in Gwangju to invite the group to Seoul.
Mrs. Kim welcomed the attendees, saying, “I am only now able to keep that promise.” Regarding the death at year-end of former director Ahn Seong-rye, whom she had met last year, she expressed regret that she had not invited her sooner and prayed for the repose of the deceased.
Director Lee asked for interest in recording the life stories of the elderly mothers and creating a space for Gwangju women who have upheld the values of May. Former director Jeong Hyeon-ae urged her to help correct distortions and disparagement of historical facts, including those relating to the May 18 Democratization Movement.
Mrs. Kim presented statice flowers symbolizing “eternal remembrance.” Since many of the attendees did not have suitable personal photos, time was also set aside for each to have a photo taken individually in the Blue House’s Grand Garden.

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