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May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement
May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement
(Hangul: 5·18 광주민주화운동; Hanja: 五– 八光州民主化運動), was an uprising of Gwangju’s citizens in the city of Gwangju in South Korea, from May 18 to 27, 1980. Estimates suggest
that up to 606 people may have died.
During this period, Gwangju citizens
took up arms (by robbing local armories and police stations) when local Chonnam University students who were demonstrating against the martial law government were fired upon, killed, raped and beaten by government troops. The uprising ended on May 27, 1980. The event is sometimes called 5·18 (May 18; Hangul: 오일팔; Hanja: 五 – 八; RR: Oilpal), in reference to the date the movement began.
Support or denial of the Gwangju Uprising has long acted as a litmus test between conservative and far right groups and beliefs, and mainstream and progressive sectors of the population. The far right groups have sought to discredit the uprising. One of such arguments point to the fact that it occurred before Chun Doo-hwan officially took office, and so contend that it could not really have been a simple student protest against him that started it; however, Chun Doo-hwan had become the de facto leader of South Korea at that time since coming into power on December 12, 1979, after leading a successful military coup of the previous South Korean government.
During Chun Doo-hwan’s presidency, the authorities defined the incident as a rebellion instigated by Communist sympathizers and rioters.
By 1997, a national cemetery and day of commemoration (May 18), along with acts to “compensate, and restore honor” to victims, were established.
In 2011, 1980 Archives for the May 18th Democratic Uprising against Military Regime located in Gwangju’s city hall were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
