THE GWANGJU UPRISING: TRIUMPHS FROM TRAGEDY
  • Home
    • Thesis
  • Tragedy
    • Yushin Order
    • Political Upheaval
  • Gwangju Uprising
    • May 20-27
    • Aftermath
  • Triumph
  • Legacy
  • Research
    • Process Paper
    • Bibliography
Comparison of downtown Seoul today and on June 10, 1979. The Korea Times. 
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The Gwangju Uprising Today


"It [Gwangju Uprising] is a symbol of an important democracy. It should not be forgotten that democratization of Korea was based on the blood of so many people." 
-
Jurgen Hinzpeter, German 
Correspondent

In 1996, justice was granted when Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo were indicted for their role in the Gwangju Uprising. 
"I will carry all the distrust and conflict. I will accept any form of punishment."
​-Roh Tae-woo.
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Left: Roh Tae-woo, right: Chun Doo-hwan, Aug 26, 1996. Korea Times

Today, South Korea is the 5th country with the most voter turnout at 77% of registered voters.
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Countries Voter Turnout. Pew Research Center. 
In 2017, Koreans peacefully protested to support the impeachment of Park Geun-Hye and to hold her accountable for charges of abuse of power. 
Quantity of protesters. © Kim Newton All Rights Reserved, South Korea Impeachment 2017.
Peaceful candlelight protests. Washington Times.
Celebration of Park Geun-Hye's Impeachment. The New York Times.
"...South Korea’s young democracy has evolved, Ms. Park was removed without any violence, after large, peaceful protests...this...a new milestone in the strengthening and institutionalizing of democracy in South Korea.” 
​-Kang Won-taek, political scientist.
"Her removal means that the curtain is finally drawing on the authoritarian political and economic order that has dominated South Korea for decades”
-Ahn Byong-jin, rector of the Global Academy for Future Civilizations.

Tragedies            &             Triumphs

The deaths and TRAGEDIES of the Gwangju Uprising TRIUMPHANTLY led to the creation of direct elections during the June Struggle, allowing democracy to thrive in South Korea today. 
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"He said that if one dies in order to shed a single ray of light on this hopeless, dark, dismal place, then after seeing this, if the workers and students together fight to the death in order to live, then that light will get bigger."
-Yi So-sun, mother of a fallen protester.
Picture
Voting for the first time in decades. © Kim Newton All Rights Reserved, South Korean Democracy Movement 1987.

In our society, public demonstrations have been a representation of the change people desire. The Gwangju Uprising allowed voices to be heard when others were silenced, light to be shined on the dark, and triumphs to come from tragedies.
Womens rights protest. Jan. 21, 2017. CNN.
Black lives matter demonstrations, July 21, 2018. ABC News.
Same-sex supporters in a San Francisco, March 25, 2013. CNN.
Demonstrators asking for gun reform due to recent Florida school shooting. Feb. 19, 2018. Vox.
#MeToo march in order to define consent in sexual assault cases, 2018. Huffington Post.
Supports of DACA at Capitol Hill. March 5, 2018. ABC News.
Protesters opposed the proposed travel ban. NPR.
Tiananmen Square, China's unsuccessful democratic movement. June 5, 1989. Time.
#FlintLivesMatter, protesting Michigan withdrawing aid. The Hill News.
In Moscow, Russia residents protests internet censorship. April 30, 2018. Getty Images.
Protester in Guadalajara, Mexico demanding justice for three killed film students by drug cartel. April 24, 2018. Getty Images.
Anti-government demonstrations in Armenia. April 27, 2018 Getty Images.

Triumph
Research
Leslie Kim
The Gwangju Uprising: Triumphs from Tragedy

Junior Category - Individual Website
Student Composed Words: 1,199
Process Paper Words: 499
Multimedia: 3:58
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  • Home
    • Thesis
  • Tragedy
    • Yushin Order
    • Political Upheaval
  • Gwangju Uprising
    • May 20-27
    • Aftermath
  • Triumph
  • Legacy
  • Research
    • Process Paper
    • Bibliography