Bill Text: CA AR120 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to the anniversary of the 5.18 Democratization Movement.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 54-18-1)
Status: (Passed) 2022-08-09 - Introduced measure version corrected. [AR120 Detail]
Download: California-2021-AR120-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION
House Resolution
No. 120
| Introduced by Assembly Member Choi |
June 21, 2022 |
Relative to the anniversary of the 5.18 Democratization Movement.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
HR 120, as introduced, Choi.
Digest Key
Bill Text
WHEREAS, Democracy is a form of government that the people of California and the United States support and defend; and
WHEREAS, Democracy should ideally be enjoyed by many other freedom-loving people of the world; and
WHEREAS, Democracy is not a gift to a nation from outside but must be achieved by the people of a nation, sometimes through a process of fighting and sacrifice; and
WHEREAS, The Republic of Korea achieved its status as an exemplary democratic country through an agonizing process; and
WHEREAS, 600,000 Korean Americans live in California, and over 2 million live in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Between 1904 and 1907, approximately 1,000 Korean Americans entered the United States mainland from Hawaii through the City and County of San Francisco, where the first Korean American political organizations and Korean language publications were established; and
WHEREAS, While the City and County of San Francisco remained the center of the Korean American community, there was a gradual migration from northern California to southern California as more employment opportunities opened up, and a new, burgeoning community of Korean Americans began to thrive in the City of Los Angeles and surrounding areas; and
WHEREAS, The City of Los Angeles is currently home to the largest population of Korean Americans in the entire United States, with more than 250,000 Korean Americans; and
WHEREAS, Korean Americans are the largest and the fastest growing ethnic group of citizens in County of Orange, giving it the second largest Korean American population of any county in the nation; and
WHEREAS, Since 1945, the Republic of Korea has endured many forms of threats such as communism, dictatorship, military coups, and authoritarianism; and
WHEREAS, The people of the Republic of Korea suffered their two most notable and historic sacrifices for democracy during the 4.19 Student Uprising in 1960 against the ruling party’s corruption, and the 5.18 Democratization Movement in 1980 by the citizens of the City of Gwangju against military brutality; and
WHEREAS, The citizens of the City of Gwangju, united with their passion, belief, and courage, risked their lives during the 5.18 Democratization Movement to show their belief in the value of democracy and to fight against dictatorship and authoritarianism, in which unrighteous leaders abused their power to persecute and murder 166 innocent people, causing 376 delayed deaths from injuries, injuring 3,139 people, and resulting in 54 people missing in action; and
WHEREAS, The people of the Republic of Korea now honor the sacrifices made by the citizens of the City of Gwangju to defend democracy in Korea; and
WHEREAS, The 5.18 Democratization Movement is a symbol of democracy that sparked the June Democratic Uprising in South Korea, which became the root of the great Candlelight Revolution; and
WHEREAS, Evidence, records, and valuable cultural heritage from the 5.18 Democratization Movement that has led to democracy in South Korea are officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List; and
WHEREAS, The 5.18 Democratization Movement transformed the City of Gwangju into a Mecca of Democracy, providing hope to the nation, which had been suppressed by military dictatorship; and
WHEREAS, The 5.18 Democratization Movement was a social movement in which citizens of the City of Los Angeles participated, as well as the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, who participated as a student, and
WHEREAS, The 5.18 Democratization Movement aligns with the United States founding fathers’ idea of a country of freedom; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly hereby proclaims May 18, 2022, and each May 18 thereafter, as the anniversary of the 5.18 Democratization Movement in California; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
