Gwangju Uprising

A pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju, South Korea, in May 1980, suppressed by a deadly military crackdown. It became a defining symbol of resistance to authoritarian rule.

Coup d'état of December Twelfth: A 1979 South Korean military coup that brought Chun Doo-hwan and his allies to power. The coup placed military officers who later imposed martial law at the center of national politics.
Martial law in South Korea: Emergency military rule that suspends or restricts ordinary civil and political rights in South Korea. Nationwide martial law gave the government the authority it used to suppress demonstrations.
June Democratic Struggle: The mass pro-democracy movement that forced political reforms in South Korea in June 1987. Gwangju's memory and democratic demands helped sustain resistance that culminated in the 1987 protests.
May 18 Memorial Foundation: A Gwangju-based organization that supports research, education, and remembrance of the May 18 movement. The foundation preserves testimony and advances public education about the uprising.
Chun Doo-hwan: South Korean military officer and president who ruled from 1980 to 1988. His expansion of martial law and suppression of dissent triggered the Gwangju protests.
South Korean Army: The land warfare branch of the armed forces of South Korea. Military units deployed in Gwangju attacked demonstrators and residents.
South Korean democracy: A political system in South Korea based on competitive elections and constitutional government. The uprising became a lasting reference point in the country's transition from military rule.
May 18 Democratic Uprising Archives: A collection of records documenting the Gwangju uprising and its aftermath, inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. Its documents preserve firsthand and institutional records of the events.
May 17 Coup d'état: The 1980 seizure of power in South Korea that expanded martial law and arrested opposition leaders. Its arrests and restrictions helped spark student demonstrations in Gwangju the next day.
Gwangju uprising student protests: Student demonstrations in Gwangju that began on May 18, 1980, against martial law and military rule. Students initiated the street protests that drew a wider response from city residents.

Linked from 16 pages