[ENG] What is Gwangju Democratization Movement? / 광주 민주화 운동은 무엇인가요?

Today is the 40th anniversary of the Gwangju Democratization Movement. It is one of the most important pro-democracy movements in Korea and it played an important role for Koreans to win for democracy.

You might have heard about this before, since J-Hope mentioned this in BTS‘  song “Ma City” in which BTS members talk about their hometowns. He said  “Everyone Dial 062-518” in this song. 062 means area code for Gwangju and 518 means the date when this movement started.

It was also mentioned at many newscasts.

Also, SUGA composed the song ‘518-062’ as the producer ‘Gloss’ of D-Town, 10 years ago when he was a high school student.

https://youtu.be/9oA8XKsclg8

Gwangju Democratization Movement is a pro-democracy movement that took place in Gwangju from May 18th, 1980 to May 27th, 1980 by Gwangju and Jeolla-namdo citizens, against the suppression of martial law forces. Geumnam and Chungjang street, which Jhope mentioned in his song Chicken Noodle Soup, were the main place of the movement.

After the death of president Park Chung Hee, who governed Korea for 18 years as the dictator, people had hope that true democracy would come and they protested for true democracy. University students protested to make the dictator’s remnants•government-patronized professors’ resign, to get the direct election system, and to make the abolition of martial law.

But Chun Doo Hwan raised 12·12 Military Insurrection in 1979 and gripped the military power. Just like how Park Chung Hee came into power, he staged a coup. The new military authority(신군부) led by Chun Doo Hwan suppressed people and controlled the press and everything.

So people protested against them. The longing for democracy was getting bigger and bigger in Korea, and on May 15th, 1980, 134 intellectuals issued a manifesto for the military to cancel the martial law, and more than one hundred thousand university students gathered in front of Seoul station. Citizens in Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Incheon Metropolitan cities, and all the other main cities also protested, and the military confronted the protesters to suppress them.

Then there was a rumor that the military would input the airborne troops to suppress the protest in Seoul. So the leaders of the protest in Seoul discussed whether they keep marching with people or just disperse them. Some people thought that the military could not attack the citizens severely since there were lots of press and embassies in Seoul. I also agree with them but the leader Shim Jae-Chul decided to disperse people.

As the protest stopped, the new military arrested every leader of student-protesters in every region and their opposing part. Then they expanded martial law to the whole nation illegally, prohibiting every protest•press, and demanding the close of school, on May 18th. Though they should get permission from the assembly for the martial law, they didn’t. They just shut down the assembly by force. After the new military proclaimed martial law, they controlled every city with troops. They also deployed troops in Gwangju. 

On May 18th, students of Jeonnam-university in Gwangju came to schools though the military demanded the close of school. Then they saw troops in the schools and protested against them to make them cancel the martial law and withdraw the troops from the city. The troops assaulted students and citizens mercilessly.

The students thought that they should let other citizens know about this. So they marched to Geumnam street which old Jeolla-namdo Provincial Office was on. Other citizens met the marching students and started to protest together. Then, the military arrested every people on the road. They hit people with the cudgel and stabbed with the bayonet. During this, the first victim Kim Gyeong-Cheol died. He was murdered because he couldn’t follow what the military demands since he was deaf. He was not the protester. He just ate lunch with his friends and murdered.

Even though the troops hit and killed people in Gwangju, there was no news about it since the military controlled the press and cut the communication networks between Gwangju and other cities. People kept protesting and the troops‘ suppression was getting more and more merciless. But the more the military suppressed them, the more citizens joined the protest without distinction of gender or age. 

The military inputted the airborne troops and helicopters to attack, shoot and kill the citizens, but citizens didn’t retreat. They made barricades and weapons to fight against them. It was nothing compared to the troops’ weapons, but they fought by cooperating with each other.

On 20th, the overall movement started. People protested against the military and the drivers in Gwangju had car demonstrations toward the military on Geumnam street. They tried to break the blocking line of the military with buses and taxis. Though they failed, citizens were encouraged.

On 21st, the citizens succeed in taking the Gwangju station back after the long protest. They celebrated themselves but then they saw murdered people in the station. They showed them to other citizens, so every citizen became angry and almost 300,000 people gathered on Geumnam street. Since it was the holiday celebrating Buddha's birthday, more people could gather than usual.

At 1:00 pm, the Korean National anthem resonated at the Provincial office and the citizens sang along the song. And at right that moment, the troops shot the people. They fired aimed shots using machine guns and helicopters. People think that the National anthem was the sign for fire commands. (The nation’s forces fired to citizens with the guns bought with taxes from citizens, using national anthem as the sign.) At least 54 people were killed and more than 500 were injured on that day. All hospitals were filled with the injured.

After the military started shooting people in earnest, citizens decided to be armed. They took the weapon from armories  in Gwangju and also they asked citizens at other regions in Jeolla-namdo. People outside Gwangju heard about volume fires, and got angry so they decided to help Gwangju citizens. Those people took guns from armories, and gave them to Gwangju citizens with some foods. Some of them even came into Gwangju and helped them. We call these protesters ‘civilian army.’

Protesters started to be armed with those guns, so the military were surprised and changed the plan. They decided to make Gwangju isolated, suppressing whole city by surrounding it from the suburb. So they retreated to the suburbs, blocked every road to Gwangju, shot and tried to kill everyone coming from or going to Gwangju. There were several massacres and sexual assaults by the military. The military buried the victims in secret after they died.

After the military retreated, Gwangju citizens were encouraged because they thought they protected the city against the military. Citizens cooperated perfectly to protect the city. They cleaned the roads which were in a mess due to the fight with the military, cooked•shared the foods with people for free, donated lots of blood for the injured, made the alternative news about the movement to share informations, and also structuralized the civilian army. The civilian army patrolled the city, carried the injured to hospitals, held funerals for victims, and also protected the citizens from the military`s attacks. They were all civilians like workers or students who gathered to protect their families, friends and neighbors. Thanks to the civilian army and citizens, there were no thefts in banks or jewellery shop in Gwangju and far less crimes than usual. 

On 22nd, there was 1st citizen rally. People naturally gathered at the square in front of the provincial office, to find their families and friends(to check whether they were dead or arrested) and shared what they witnessed. 100,000 people gathered at the square and Geumnam street on that day.

Also citizens tried to solve this situation, and made the ‘5.18 probation and countermeasure committee’ which was consisted of priests•pastors•professors•officials•lawyers and owners. It tried to negotiate with the military and told them what they wanted, like apologizing to the citizens, letting the arrested go and making the news about what happened in Gwangju. Citizens also had 5 times ‘Citizens` rally for guarding the democracy’ and made lots of efforts to protect Gwangju and win the democracy. But despite these efforts, citizens couldn`t achieve their goals.

On 26th, they realized that the military would attack the city soon and that they`d fail. So they decided to tell what happened in Gwangju to foreign reporters who were staying in Gwangju. They`d be defeated by the military in that May of Gwangju, but if their stories spread, true democracy would come one day and they`d be the true winner of history. So they had an interview with some reporters including Jürgen Hinzpeter from German NDR, Henry Scott Stokes and Shim Jae Hoon from NewYork Times, Terry Anderson from AP, and Bradley Martin from Baltimore Sun. Citizens also asked the reporters to tell U.S. ambassador and the International Red Cross to help Gwangju citizens.

Then the civilian army prepared for the military`s suppression strategy. They turned women and kids back to the house, and also said farewell to their families, preparing the last fight.

At that night, one man spoke through the megaphone ”Only those who can die for the democratization of our homeland should remain here. When the military come, we’ll fight until the end and all die together.” But no one left. 340 citizens remained to fight against the military.

Park Yeong-sun, who worked at the publicity department of civilian army, broadcasted the last news saying “To all Gwangju citizens we love, the martial law armies are coming. Our loving brothers and sisters are killed by their guns and swords. Let’s all fight against them until the end. We’ll defend Gwangju until the end. Everyone please don’t forget us. We’ll fight until the end.” Citizens couldn’t get out of their house but they heard what she said.

Then, just after the broadcast ended, the 20,317 martial law armies came to suppress the 340 civilian armies. Through their suppression strategy, more than 20 citizens was killed and more than 200 citizens were arrested and tortured. On the contrary, only 2 were injured in martial law armies that day and no one died.

The martial law armies arrested and tortured people involved, as many as they could after the movement. Some died and buried in secret. Lots of people were buried in secret like that, so we still don’t know how many people died in Gwangju, exactly.

After the suppression strategy, this movement was denounced as the riot to the people. The leader of the martial law armies even lied that it was done by people from North Korea. It’s impossible because U.S Armed Forces were in Korea. There’s the report from U.S. CIA that North Korea’s not related with this movement. But they lied and people believed them because the press remained silent. They assaulted the bereaved families and citizens who were involved in this movement. Also they tortured or even killed officials and police officers who helped citizens. A few reporters who made a voice for Gwangju were fired.

But they kept fighting against the dictator. They held the meeting and memorialate the victims every year. Also, people spread the truth of Gwangju, secretly. Showing people the video and pictures from Gwangju was the new form of pro-democracy movement in Korea. Also, Jürgen Hinzpeter reported what happened in Gwangju to the world. His story was become the movie ‘A Taxi Driver’. (Part of his body was buried in Gwangju as he wished.)

Lots of people made lots of efforts for democracy like this, and finally in 1987, June democracy movement took place and the dictator Chun resigned. But the true democracy didn’t come because of the complicated political situations. The next president after the president Chun was No Tae-woo, who was the martial law army with him. But despite some bad situations, the spirit of this movement is still alive and also continued to the ‘Candlelight Revolution’ in 2016.

Many people are trying their best to remember Gwangju Democratization Movement now, to continue the spirit of Gwangju. The commemoration was held on Geumnam street today, in front of the old Jeolla-namdo Provincial Office. 

Unfortunately, there’re still lots of people who are distorting the history for their own benefits. Gwangju’s citizens who remember the fact are fighting against them. 1980’s Gwangju was alone but 2020’s Gwangju is not alone, so many people outside Gwangju are joining them. 

Many songs and movies were also made to remember the spirit of Gwangju. ‘A Taxi Driver’, ‘May 18’ and ’26 years’ are the Most famous movies about 5.18. 

26 years

May 18

A Taxi Driver
(The actor on the post is Song Gang Ho from 'Parasite')

  

And one of the most famous songs about 5.18 is ‘Marching for our beloved(임을 위한 행진곡)’.

Its lyrics is like this : 

Our passionate swear to progress for life without leaving any love, honor or name

Our comrades suddenly go away and only the flag remains.

Let’s never waver until the new day comes

Mountains and streams know even though the time goes by

Passionate shout that we cry out, rising up

We go first, so the living, follow us

This is the clip of this song.

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I feel indebted to Gwangju’s citizens who fought for the democracy in May 1980. They became the target of the martial law armies because only Gwangju fought against the military. I think if people all around the Korea had fought together, victims wouldn’t have died that much in Gwangju. So I always feel sorry and deeply appreciate Gwangju citizens. 

1980’s Gwangju was isolated, but I hope 2020’s Gwangju won’t be alone. Some people, including those who were military law armies, are still trying to isolate the victims and distort the history. If more and more people remember and know the truth of Gwangju’s May, I believe they’ll acknowledge what they did and apologize to victims. I hope this article can help you understand Gwangju’s May.

Some parts of my articles may be incorrect, so if you find one plz contact me with DM. Have a nice day🙂