Choo Mi-ae: "Democratization Is an Ongoing Process... Corrupt and Elite Cartels Grow in Power"

"We Must Honor the Will of the Sovereign People"

Choo Mi-ae, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, stated at the "2026 Memorial Ceremony for Victims of the Gyeonggi Democratization Movement," held on the 12th at the Moran Park Democracy Martyrs' Cemetery in Namyangju, "Democratization is an ongoing process."

Choo Mi-ae, Governor of Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

In her memorial address that day, Governor Choo said, "Through democratization, we have reached the point where we can elect the president with our own hands through elections. But what should we do after the election?" She continued, "We need to honor the will of the sovereign people," expressing her thoughts accordingly.

Governor Choo stated, "The biggest problem facing the Republic of Korea is that the corrupt cartel and the elite cartel—which seize power, sit at the top of the food chain, take away the sweat and efforts of people's livelihoods, and manipulate laws and systems—are growing ever stronger." She further said, "With the climate crisis looming and the AI era urging us onward, we must first fulfill the duties of our era before such corrupt cartels enjoy their power."

Governor Choo recently remarked on the YouTube channel "Kim Eo-jun’s News Factory: Humility Is Hard" on the 10th, "I believe the only reason the president’s approval rating is dropping is because of prosecution reform. There is no other reason."

This memorial ceremony was hosted and organized by the Suwon Democratization Movements Succession Association and was attended by around 100 people, including bereaved families of democratization movement victims and related organization representatives.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.