Minister Jung Sung-ho of the Ministry of Justice visited the Gwangju National May 18 Democratic Cemetery on the 15th, three days before the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement, together with senior prosecutors. It was the first time a justice minister visited the May 18 cemetery with the prosecution leadership.
On this day, the Minister visited the cemetery with Gu Ja-hyeon, acting prosecutor general; Park Gyu-hyeong, head of the Planning and Coordination Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office; Choi Ji-seok, head of the Public Investigation Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office; Kim Tae-hoon, chief prosecutor of the Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office; Park Cheol-woo, chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office; and Seong Sang-heon, chief prosecutor of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office.
The Minister wrote in the guest book, "We will deeply engrave the spirit of May 18 in our hearts and be reborn as a new justice and prosecution for the people," then laid flowers and offered incense with senior prosecutors. The group then paid respects at the graves of Park Hyun-suk, who died from martial law forces' gunfire while going to obtain a coffin for a victim at the time of May 18, and Hwang Ho-geol, who was then the president of the Chonnam National University student council. Park was 16 at the time of death.
The Ministry of Justice said the visit was intended to reflect on past abuses of state power and to declare a new justice and prosecution before the public. It said the schedule reflects on human rights violations and abuses of authority by state agencies, including the prosecution, and announces the justice and prosecution organizations' resolve to reform.
The Minister and senior prosecutors are also scheduled to watch an introductory video on the May 18 Democratization Movement at the memorial hall within the cemetery.