Ministry under fire over grassroots song

The government has come under fire for its ambiguity over whether to sing in unison the “March for My Beloved,” a 1980s pro-democracy protest song, during its ceremony marking the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

Opposition politicians, civic groups and the families of the victims of the military crackdown on the 1980 civilian uprising in Gwangju denounced the government, saying any decision against the song would be tantamount to disregarding the lofty spirits of the democracy fighters.

Some of them vowed to boycott the ceremony should the song not be sung in unison, demanding it should be designated as an official theme song to mark the grassroots protests against the military junta led by former President Chun Doo-hwan.

The conservative government has apparently felt reluctant to accept the protest song as an official tune commemorating the national day.

Last week, the Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs said it would push for creating a new song to commemorate the victims of the uprising with a budget of 48 million won ($44,000) -- a move seen as pushing the iconic song out of the anniversary event.

The ministry said nothing has yet to be determined over the activist song.

“It is like denying the history of the May 18 movement. Any move to push the song out of the ceremony is a historical retrogression,” civic groups dedicated to commemorating the uprising said in a statement.

The main opposition Democratic Party also criticized the government for its “narrow-mindedness.”

“There has been public consensus that this is the most appropriate song to honor the spirits of the victims of the May 18 Uprising,” said DP spokesperson Kim Hyun.

Written in 1982, the song has resonated in almost all scenes of the country’s democracy movements including the nationwide movement in June 1987 against the then Chun Doo-hwan government’s attempt to prolong its rule.

In the wake of a coup in December 1979, then Army general Chun came to power. The uprising swept the southwestern city of Gwangju and Chun’s military brutally cracked down on it, resulting in thousands of casualties.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)