Special Forces Veterans’ Association Visits May 18 National Cemetery: “Stop Political Exploitation”

Special Forces Veterans’ Association Visits May 18 National Cemetery: “Stop Political Exploitation”

The Special Forces Veterans’ Association (SFVA) visited the May 18 National Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Gwangju, on the 15th to pay tribute and apologize to the victims of the military crackdown during the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

Fourteen members from across the country participated in the visit, laying flowers and offering incense at the memorial tower before cleaning headstones at the section for missing persons. Some members also bowed silently in front of the graves.

Special Forces Veterans Pay Silent Tribute to the Spirits of May
On the 15th, members of the Republic of Korea Special Forces Veterans’ Association visited the May 18 National Cemetery in Unjeong-dong, Gwangju, to pay their respects.
During the visit, the members expressed their plea, stating, "We hope that Special Forces soldiers will no longer be exploited by anti-national insurgent forces."(사진출처:연합뉴스)

Jeon Sang-bu, former president of the SFVA, said, “Although I was not deployed to Gwangju in 1980, as a member of the military under martial law at the time, I believed such an incident should never occur again. Seeing younger soldiers once again mobilized under unjust martial law orders pains me deeply.”

Prior to the visit, the SFVA issued a statement apologizing to the citizens of Gwangju and the nation, saying, “As veterans of the Special Forces, we deeply regret the anxiety caused by recent declarations of martial law, which evoke the nightmare of the May 17 Emergency Martial Law 45 years ago.”

The statement also criticized the historical misuse of the Special Forces for political purposes, noting, “Whenever a small group of political soldiers sought to seize power, the Special Forces were singled out among numerous military units, leading to the disgraceful label of ‘rebellious forces’ and public condemnation.”

The SFVA urged accountability, stating, “Those who issued these unjust orders, including President Yoon Suk-yeol and political soldiers, must be held strictly accountable. However, the soldiers who were deployed without understanding the full context deserve forgiveness.” They concluded by appealing to the public, saying, “We hope politicians and the public will ensure that Special Forces soldiers are never again exploited by anti-national insurgent forces.”

특전사동지회, 5·18민주묘지 참배하며 사죄…“정치적 이용 멈춰야”

오월영령에 묵념하는 특전사동지회원들

15일 대한민국 특전사동지회 회원들이 광주 북구 운정동 국립5·18민주묘지를 찾아 참배하고 있다.

회원들은 이날 "특전사 장병들이 반국가 내란 세력에게 이용되지 않길 바란다"고 호소했다(사진출처:연합뉴스)

특전사동지회는 15일 광주 북구 운정동 국립5·18민주묘지를 찾아 참배하며 5·18 당시 계엄군의 희생자들에게 사죄의 뜻을 전했다.

전국에서 모인 회원 14명은 추모탑 앞에서 헌화와 분향을 한 뒤 행방불명자 묘역을 방문해 묘비를 닦으며 조의를 표했다.

전상부 전 특전사동지회 회장은 “1980년 당시 광주에 투입되지 않았지만 계엄군으로 활동하며 절대 반복되어선 안 될 일이라고 느꼈다”며 “최근 부당한 계엄 명령에 동원된 후배들을 보며 가슴 아팠다”고 밝혔다.

동지회는 참배에 앞서 “특전사를 거친 예비역으로서 5·17 비상계엄의 악몽을 떠올렸을 국민과 광주시민께 사죄드린다”며 “특전사가 정치적 내란에 이용돼 ‘반란군’이라는 오명을 쓴 역사를 되풀이해선 안 된다”고 강조했다.

또한 “부당한 명령을 내린 정치군인과 윤석열 대통령은 엄벌받아야 하지만, 명령에 따른 장병들은 용서받아야 한다”며 “특전사 장병들이 더 이상 정치적 도구로 이용되지 않도록 국민의 관심과 보호를 요청한다”고 호소했다.

시사k뉴스 지형덕 기자

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