Kim Sang-uk, the mayor-elect of Ulsan, visited the May 18 National Cemetery on Monday, saying he was taking "the first step in a promise to sow the seeds of democracy in the Yeongnam region."
Kim paid his respects at the cemetery in Buk-gu, Gwangju.
"The force that awakened me and moved me to act on the night of the insurrection on Dec. 3, 2024, came from the sunbae of Gwangju in May 1980," he said. "The roots of democracy in the Republic of Korea also lie in the Gwangju of May."
He added that Gwangju holds special meaning for him personally. "On May 18, I stood in front of this cemetery and declared my membership in the Democratic Party," he said. "Gwangju is also the place that made me resolve to uphold and carry forward the spirit of democracy."
Kim also expressed his commitment to building ties between Gwangju, South Jeolla Province and Ulsan.
"As I have come to Gwangju in my capacity as Ulsan mayor-elect, I will actively seek ways for Gwangju, South Jeolla Province and Ulsan to prosper together," he said. "Gwangju has strengths in foundational AI while Ulsan excels in industrial AI transformation, and cooperation between the two cities could generate strong synergy."
sij@heraldcorp.com
