A ceremony was held at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on Saturday marking the 36th anniversary of the June 10 democracy uprising of 1987, also known as the "June struggle for democracy."
Attended by senior-level opposition party lawmakers and some from the ruling bloc as well as civic society members, the event included a video screening, recital, singing and a commemorative address.
The board chair of the Korea Democracy Foundation, the event's organizer, said this day 36 years ago and the democratic values that have since advanced must be remembered and cherished, and vowed to build an even better democracy in the days ahead.
Myeongdong Cathedral is a symbolic venue in regards to the country's pro-democracy movement as a protest rally was held there during the 1987 struggle.
No officials from the interior ministry, which has hosted the ceremony since it was designated a national memorial day in 2007, were in attendance this year. A speech by the vice interior minister was also canceled.
The decision not to attend is believed to be connected to the Korea Democracy Foundation listing itself as one of the sponsors of a recent anti-government event that called for bringing down the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.