▲ President Lee Jae Myung attends an event at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on July 17, 2026, marking the launch of a new presidential committee tasked with honoring people who contributed to protecting the Constitution and democracy during the martial law imposition on Dec. 3, 2024. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
▲ This image, captured from President Lee Jae Myung's Facebook post on July 17, 2026, shows a certification to people who contributed to protecting democracy during a martial law imposition on Dec. 3, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in last 3 paras; ADDS photo)

SEOUL, July 17 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Friday reiterated his plan to designate Dec. 3 as a day of people's sovereignty that would mark the anniversary of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed imposition of martial law.

In a Facebook post marking the 78th Constitution Day, Lee pledged to designate Dec. 3 as a legal public holiday so that the meaning and spirit of the day -- when ordinary citizens voluntarily sought to block the unexpected martial law -- could be fully passed down to future generations.

Lee made a similar proposal last year to mark the first anniversary of the political crisis triggered by Yoon's declaration of martial law.

"On Dec. 3, 2024, the martial law declared in the middle of the night reminded all of us that the threat to democracy is by no means a thing of the past, but a reality that could happen again at any time in today's Republic of Korea," Lee said in the post, referring to the country by its official name.

He further said South Korea had demonstrated to the world through a "revolution of light" that the spirit of popular sovereignty enshrined in the Constitution is alive and breathing in people's daily lives.

Lee also highlighted the presidential "Committee of Light," which was launched earlier this week to honor people who contributed to protecting the Constitution and democracy.

The committee, which consists of no more than 35 members, including experts in constitutional law and democracy, will establish basic directions for promoting Korean-style participatory democracy and issue certificates to people who contributed to protecting democracy during the martial law imposition.

"We will systematically collect and preserve records of the Light Revolution so that K-democracy can spread widely around the world as a model for democracy," Lee said.

He also shared a photo of a certificate of appreciation presented to participants at a citizens' event held later at Cheong Wa Dae, marking the launch of the committee.

"It has clearly proven that the Republic of Korea's democracy may be shaken but it will never collapse," Lee said during the event.

The president said there must never again be a situation in which democracy and sovereignty are threatened, and that no one should attempt to rule above the Constitution.

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