May 18 groups, civic organizations call for expulsion of Rep. Lee Jin-suk

May 18-related organizations and civic groups in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province called Friday for the expulsion of Rep. Lee Jin-suk, accusing her of co-hosting a National Assembly forum that distorted and denigrated the May 18 Democracy Movement.

Twenty organizations — including the May 18 Memorial Foundation and three core May 18 groups representing bereaved families, meritorious persons and the injured — issued a joint statement urging the National Assembly to expel Lee and demanding that the Saeyeoksa Gungmin Undong (New History Citizens' Movement) halt what they described as historical distortion. "Claims that distort May 18 and disparage the Honam region were made under the guise of academic research," the statement said.

The groups added that May 18 had already been historically evaluated and inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. "Academic freedom must not be used to justify distortion," they said.

The controversy erupted after Lee and the New History Citizens' Movement co-hosted a public forum titled "Reexamining the May 18 Democracy Movement" at the National Assembly Library on Thursday. Speakers referred to the May 18 uprising as a "riot" and made remarks glorifying former President Chun Doo-hwan, drawing accusations of historical distortion and denigration.

The Gwangju Progressive Alliance also issued a statement Friday, saying the forum featured remarks that belittled May 18 as a "riot" and glorified Chun Doo-hwan. "Rep. Lee Jin-suk, who led the spread of false information, must be immediately expelled," the group said.

The groups also called on investigative authorities to examine the statements and materials from the forum and rigorously investigate whether they violated the special act on the May 18 Democracy Movement.