Lee Jae-myung, the president, on the 17th said, "There must never again be an instance where democracy and popular sovereignty are threatened," adding, "No one should seek to reign above the Constitution."
The president stated accordingly in his greeting at a citizen-invited event marking the launch of the "Committee of Light," held at the Blue House state guesthouse that day, "The popular sovereignty government will unfailingly uphold the most simple yet most fundamental principle that the people are the owners of the nation." The Committee of Light is a presidential committee established in March to promote projects to carry forward the spirit of citizens who stood up to the Dec. 3 martial law under the previous administration.
The president said, "I think of the faces of countless people who shared a single foil blanket and endured on winter asphalt, and who ran with farmers to Namtaeryeong to extend a hand of solidarity," adding, "You, the great people, chose solidarity over division, peace over violence, and action over silence." He went on, "It clearly proved the fact that democracy in Korea may be shaken but will never collapse."
At the same time, the president again outlined a plan to designate Dec. 3 each year as "popular sovereignty day." He said, "We will also actively push to build a digital archive so that K-democracy can spread widely as a model for democracies around the world."
Attending the event were Chairperson Park Mi-kyung; Yoon Ho-jung, Minister of the Interior and Safety; Koo Yun-cheol, deputy prime minister and minister of economy and finance; and Bae Kyung-hoon, deputy prime minister and Minister of Science and ICT. About 100 people, including citizens who resisted during the martial law and figures from civic groups, also joined.
After finishing his greeting, the president watched with attendees the documentary film "Ran 12·3," which deals with the Dec. 3 martial law crisis. Director Lee Myeong-se, who made the film, said, "I am very pleased to be here with the president and first lady, who are the film's leading actors, and likewise with the citizens, who are also leads," adding, "I hope today's viewing becomes a meaningful time of solidarity."