President Lee Jae-myung said on Sunday, marking the first 'Miners' Day,' that the day "should be both a day to honor the value of the countless laborers who led South Korea's industrialization and a day to embrace the wounds and pain left behind in the process of industrialization."
Writing on Facebook that day, President Lee said, "I express my deep respect and gratitude to all the miners who descended into the deepest darkness to bring light to the Republic of Korea." He assessed that Korea was able to enjoy the fruits of industrialization thanks to miners who carried pickaxes into deep coal mines.
However, referring to the 'Sabuk Incident' that occurred in Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province, in 1980, he pointed out that it was "a vivid example showing what kind of pain occurs when the state turns away from its citizens' devotion."
He continued, "The rally of Sabuk miners, who rose up calling for a humane life, spread like wildfire after a hit-and-run by police became the trigger." He noted, "Immediately after the incident, Chun Doo-hwan's martial law command arrested more than 200 people, including miners and their families, and committed torture and brutal acts, destroying the community through horrific violence and forced confessions."
He went on to say, "Fortunately, thanks to the film '1980 Sabuk' released last year, tearful reconciliations and handshakes are taking place between the miners and police, and between miners and judges, who were involved in the incident at the time." He added, "I am deeply grateful for the resilience of citizens who overcome pain and move toward integration."
President Lee stressed, "History becomes whole when it remembers both light and darkness," adding, "The history of our industrialization also becomes whole when we remember together the sweat and wounds of the countless people shed in the process of building a monument of light, and the voices of those forgotten without names." He further added, "I hope the first Miners' Day becomes a day not only to thank miners for their devotion and remember their sacrifice, but also to reflect on the meaning of a democratic republic in which all members of the community are respected."
