Song for Kwangju Uprising accused of praising North Korea | NK News
NK News Logo
November 24, 2024
NK News is hiring
News

Song for Kwangju Uprising accused of praising North Korea

Part of lyrics symbolize ‘Kim Il Sung’ and ‘socialist revolution,’ conservative groups say

The Seoul government on Monday again announced that a South Korean song about the 1980 Kwangju Uprising will not be sang in unison at the official ceremony for the event due to allegations of pro-North and pro-communist sympathies.

It had been customary to sing Imeul uihan haengjingok ("A March for the Sake of my Beloved") in unison during the annual memorial for the uprising through to 2008. The following year the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration said the song would not be chanted, as some right-leaning groups called it “anti-South Korean.”

Become a member for less
than $5.75 per week.

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.