Following the recent official recognition of martyr Lee Se-jong as the first casualty of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Alumni Association (Chairman Choi Byung-seon) has moved to organize the 'Memorial Project for the First Casualty of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, Martyr Lee Se-jong.'

At the same time, the JBNU Alumni Association proposed forming the '2024 Jeonbuk Democracy Action: From April to June, Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Promotion Committee,' which would hold commemorative events for the April 19 Revolution, the May 18 Democratic Uprising, and the June 10 Democratic Uprising provincewide together with residents.

It was later reported that Lee Se-jong, who was a student at JBNU, was officially recognized by the state late last year as the first casualty of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. It has been 44 years since he was killed in the early hours of May 18, 1980, when he was thrown from the roof of JBNU's No. 1 Student Hall as a result of the martial law forces' deadly violence.

This officially recognizes that JBNU and the Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province are the epicenter and sacred sites of the April 19 Revolution and the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

On this basis, the JBNU Alumni Association plans to organize a provisional 'Memorial Project for the First Casualty of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, Martyr Lee Se-jong' and has proposed the formation of the '2024 Jeonbuk Democracy Action: From April to June, Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Promotion Committee' to hold commemorative events for the April 19 Revolution, the May 18 Democratic Uprising, and the June 10 Democratic Uprising provincewide with residents.

Choi Byung-seon, chairman of the JBNU Alumni Association, stated, "The Government of the Republic of Korea has officially recognized the historical fact that the May 18 Democratic Uprising was not confined to Gwangju and Jeonnam, but was a nationwide movement including Jeonbuk," adding, "This is a historic event that will lead to a redefinition of the history of Korea's democratization movement."

Meanwhile, the promotion committee will be led by the Jeonbuk National University Alumni Association and will include the Jeonbuk Democratic Movement Memorial Association, the Jeonbuk May Comrades Association, the Jeollago High School Alumni Association, the JBNU Democratic Alumni Association, the JBNU Student Council, and the Council of Democratic Alumni Associations of Jeonbuk Region Universities, among others.