The Korea Democracy Foundation(KDF) was established to contribute to the development of democracy by carrying out projects to memorialize the democratization movement and inherit its spirit in accordance with the Korea Democracy Foundation Act(Act 6495) passed into legislation on June 28, 2001. The KDF carries out support projects and arranges events to develop democracy movement, such as the establishment and operation of the Korea Democracy Memorial Hall. It also collects, digitizes, manages, and researches documents for the historical organization of the democratization movement as well as the democratization movement artifacts preservation, management and publicization. Especially, by the president Moon Jae-in’s statement “to actively support the construction of the Democracy and Human Rights Memorial Hall” at the 31st anniversary ceremony of the June 10 Democratic Uprising in 2018, the construction project has been accelerated on the place of the former Anticommunist Office of the National Police Agency in Namyeongdong, Seoul(presently, Human Rights Center of the National Police Agency).

Timeline

July 14, 2000 Motion for the Korea Democracy Foundation Act with the signature of 82 members of the ruling and opposition parties
June 28, 2001 The Korea Democracy Foundation Act is legislated by the National Assembly of Korea
July 24, 2001 Announcement of the Korea Democracy Foundation Act(Act 6495)
September 24, 2001 Appointment of establishment committee members (9 members excluding the committee representative Seong Yu-Bo)
October 25, 2001 Announcement of the Enforcement Ordinance for the Korea Democracy Foundation Act(Presidential Order 17396) Nomination of the first president (Rev. Park Hyung-Kyu)
November 12, 2001 Legal establishment approval, nomination of officers
October 8, 2004 Nomination of second president (Fr. Ham Sei-Ung)
June 10, 2005 Organization of the preparatory committee for the nationwide promotion committee for the establishment of the Democratization Movement Memorial Hall(Tentatively named)
August 25, 2006 Organization of the nationwide promotion committee for the establishment of the Korea Democracy Hall(Tentatively named)
April 24, 2007 Designation of the June 10 Democratic Uprising as a national commemoration day
December 3, 2007 Nomination of the third president (Fr. Ham Sei-Ung)
December 24, 2010 Nomination of the forth president (Chung Sung-Hun)
August, 2011 Guest lecture by Prof. Larry Diamond, Stanford University
November, 2011 2011 Seoul Democracy Forum
June, 2012 25th anniversary ceremony of the June 10 Democratic Uprising
July, 2012 Publication of the book 《Election and Civil Society》
August, 2012 School for East Asia Democracy
October, 2013 2013 Seoul Democracy Forum
December, 2013 Myanmar Democracy Excursion team visited CSOs, 88 office and NLD office
February 2014 Nomination of the fourth president (Rev. Park Sang-jeung)
October, 2015 2015 Seoul Democracy Forum
June, 2016 International Solidarity Seminar(invited 10 international activists who help Korean democratization movement in 70s and 80s through international organizations)
May 2017 Nomination of the fifth president (Monk Ji-sun)
June, 2017 Academic seminar on the June 10 Democratic Uprising in commemoration of its 30th anniversary. The 30th anniversary commemoration ceremony of the June 10 Democratic Uprising
November, 2017 2017 Seoul Democracy Forum
May, 2018 Candlelight International Forum(co-hosted with the Record and Commemoration Committee of the People’s Action for Immediate Resignation of President Park Geun-hye)

What We do

  • Establishing and managing a democratization movement memorial hall
  • Researching and displaying historical materials related to the democracy movement
  • Preserving and supporting the remaining aspects of the democratization movement
  • Performing public relations for the KDF & memorial hall and promoting its cause through a variety of brochures and educational materials
  • Promoting development of democracy around the world

Related Legislations

  • The Korea Democracy Foundation Act
  • The Enforcement Decree of the KDF Act
  • The Articles of the KDF