The government will establish, under the direct authority of the President, a ‘Light Committee’ to honor the dedication and spirit of citizens who, during the 12·3 illegal martial law, stood up to armed soldiers and contributed to safeguarding the Constitution and democracy.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that at the Cabinet meeting held on the 10th, a draft decree titled ‘Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of the Light Committee’ was approved.

The creation of the committee is a measure for the state to officially recognize and honor the contributions of the people who overcame the national crisis of illegal martial law through peaceful resistance.

The committee will be composed of up to 35 members, mainly experts in constitutional and democratic affairs. Participants will include 10 government members, namely ministers such as the Minister of the Interior and Safety (serving as secretary), the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Education, and others, along with up to 25 appointed members, including experts in the fields of the Constitution and democracy to be appointed by the President. For efficient operation, subcommittees, special committees, and an expert advisory group will also be established.

Regarding the basis for establishing the committee, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety explained that it follows from findings confirmed by decisions of the Constitutional Court and court rulings that citizen participation and resistance played an important role in the process of lifting the state of emergency martial law and restoring constitutional order. In its impeachment decision concerning President Yoon Seok-yeol on April 4 last year, the Constitutional Court stated, “Despite the respondent’s efforts to control the National Assembly, the reason the Assembly was able to swiftly pass the resolution demanding the lifting of the state of emergency martial law was thanks to the resistance of citizens and the passive performance of duties by the military and police.”

The committee will set the basic direction for spreading Korean-style participatory democracy (K-democracy) and pursue a project to issue and award a ‘Certificate of Light’ to citizens who contributed to defending democracy during the 12·3 state of emergency martial law.

Recipients and criteria for the certificate will be selected through committee deliberation. Applications will be accepted online via the national civil petition portal, as well as by registered mail and in-person submission. Projects to carry forward the spirit of democracy will also be promoted, including collecting opinions on whether to designate a national commemoration day related to the ‘Revolution of Light’.

The government plans to promptly convene the first plenary meeting of the committee to review concrete project plans and criteria for issuing certificates, finalize detailed standards, and then proceed with a public announcement.

Minister Yoon Ho-jung of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said, “With the establishment of the Light Committee, we can officially honor and show respect to the people who stood against the December 3 state of emergency martial law,” adding, “Through the committee, we will achieve national unity and spread the values of K-democracy.”