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I was able to discuss Gwangju soon afterwards with Americans who were in Korea at the time. Reports of what happened varied considerably between witnesses. A co
by wrp 5y ago
I was able to discuss Gwangju soon afterwards with Americans who were in Korea at the time. Reports of what happened varied considerably between witnesses. A conservative establishment guy who was in Seoul claimed Chun Doo Hwan intentionally sent troops there with murderous intent. A liberal Peace Corps guy who was down around Gwangju said the locals initiated the violence by raiding the local armory.
The article is good in that it gives more attention to regional animosities than is usually done, but its tone is far too flippant for the subject matter and I think it may be a bit too credulous regarding the local accounts.
- yongjik 5y agoThere might have been confusion during the time, but now we have hour-by-hour accounts of what Gwangju's citizens were going through. Paratroopers were beating citizens to death starting on 5/18. Protests escalated. On 5/20, all reporters of the regional Jeonnam Maeil Newspaper resigned in protest, leaving this note that later became famous: We saw, with our two eyes, people being dragged like dogs and slaughtered. But we could not write a single line on the paper. So we put down our pens in shame. On 5/21, there were thousands of protesters in front of the Jeonnam Provincial Office. On 1 pm, paratroopers started firing indiscriminately into protesters. Citizens began raiding armories that afternoon.