A memorial service marking the 45th anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising was held in the southwestern city on Saturday. 

The event, organized by the association of bereaved families of the uprising, took place at the May 18 National Cemetery with around 500 attendees, including Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung and South Jeolla Province Deputy Mayor Myung Chang-hwan.

In a memorial speech, Mayor Kang said the nation is on a path toward a new democratic government, and vowed to do his best to include the spirit of the Gwangju uprising in the Constitution.

Yang Jae-hyuk, the head of the bereaved families’ association, said the families, together with the public, will continue working to build a nation where truth is respected and democracy is never trampled on again.