'Light Committee' officially launches to manage records and pursue commemorative projects

The presidential Light Committee held its inaugural meeting Monday and announced it was launching full operations. The committee was established under a presidential decree on its formation and operation, enacted in March.

Under the decree, the committee comprises up to 35 members, including the chairperson. On June 26, the committee appointed Park Mi-kyung as chairperson along with 14 other civilian members, bringing the total to 25 — including ex-officio members who are ministers from 10 government ministries — as it began its first activities.

At Monday's inaugural meeting, members received a briefing on the committee's key work plans and established internal operating rules covering efficient management and the donation of records. The meeting also reviewed the "Basic Plan for Managing Records of the Light Revolution," which is set to become the committee's core project.

The committee plans to go beyond records management and pursue a range of commemorative initiatives — including designating a memorial day, installing commemorative symbols, holding competitions and hosting public forums — so that all citizens can honor the spirit of defending the Constitution and democracy.

Yun Ho-jung, minister of interior and safety and the committee's secretary-general member, said Monday's launch marks "a historic occasion to honor the dedication of the people who defended the Constitution and democracy against the illegal Dec. 3 emergency martial law, and to carry forward the spirit of the Light Revolution." He added that "the government will actively support the committee's work to widely share with the world the great democratic spirit the Korean people demonstrated on that day, and to ensure it is passed down to future generations without a single distortion."

Chairperson Park said the committee's first meeting is "a first step toward documenting and commemorating the great courage and actions of the people who rose up against the Dec. 3 emergency martial law." She added that the committee would "lead efforts to achieve genuine national unity through diverse documentation and commemorative projects, establish the values of citizen-driven K-democracy, and spread them across the world."