The Gwangju Uprising: The Pivotal Democratic Movement That Changed the History of Modern Korea

by Chong-Un Ch'oe

The book explores the implications of the democratic movement that took place in Gwangju, a southwestern city of Korea, in May 1980 when military paratroopers brutally crushed a group of protesters who demonstrated against General Chun Doo-hwan, who was about to become the country¡¦s president. Because of the event now known as the Gwangju Uprising, 191 people perished and 852 were wounded. In The Gwangju Uprising, Choi Jungwoon analyzes various discourses and motives of the uprising and vividly paints the demonstrators¡¦ street battles against paratroopers. He gives an in-depth scrutiny of the participants¡¦ mentalities and incentives, and the type of brutality involved. He also examines the stages the participants went through during the uprising, from the peace and togetherness they had at first, to the internal conflict that soon followed, to the lessons they learned in the uprising¡¦s aftermath. Choi argues that the united front experienced by the participants during the uprising was a driving force that changed modern Korean history.

Genres: History

352 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 2005

Reviews

[長谷川 純一郎 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book leaves the reader forever changed. It tells the story of the Gwangju uprising--one of the most important events in the history of the struggle for freedom in the latter part of the 20th century. Beyond a history of Korea, this book and its story is of utmost importance to all human beings. It also the beginning towards the Republic of Korea that we knew recently.

[Remy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would describe this book is a philosophical view of the Gwangju uprising. The author repeatedly refers to the citizens as transcending humanity and becoming one. The book is quite complex, and I would not recommend it as an intro to the uprising. If you are familiar with it already, this will be an excellent dialectical view of the uprising.