The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Mon, July 4, 2022 | 11:16
'Gwangju uprising contributed to Korea's democratization'
Posted : 2012-05-19 11:59
Updated : 2012-05-19 11:59
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
GWANGJU (Yonhap) -- The 1980 Gwangju uprising played a significant role in helping move forward the democratization process in South Korea, a poll conducted by a memorial foundation showed Saturday.

The May 18 Memorial Foundation said the nationwide survey of 725 people showed 65.8 percent of the respondents saying the popular revolts and the subsequent bloody military crackdown in and around the city of Gwangju helped the country's democracy movement. Only 12.6 percent said it played no positive role.

The foundation, set up to help victims and keep alive the spirit of what is formally called the Gwangju Democratization Movement, said the latest findings showed positive views going up by 4.7 percentage points compared to the year before. It said negative views edged up 2.5 percentage points.

The poll showed women and people in their 30s-40s generally giving recognition for the uprising's historic role in changing the country from an authoritarian state to a full-fledged democracy.

It added 62.3 percent of the respondents said the uprising enhanced the country's human rights, up a sharp 8.4 percentage points from a year earlier.

The uprising refers to a popular resistance movement that took place in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, from May 18 through May 27. During this period, citizens took control of the city and demanded democracy as the military led by Gen. Chun Doo-hwan moved to take power after the political vacuum left by the assassination of President Park Chung-hee in the previous year.

The foundation's latest poll, meanwhile, showed that 53.5 percent of the respondents believed the details of the tragedy have not been fully revealed, with only 14.3 percent saying the official probe was adequate.

May 18 is a day of commemoration in South Korea with Seoul having passed a law to compensate victims and to restore honor to those who fought in the uprising.

 
LG
  • Declining approval rating feared to dampen Yoon's political drive
  • Korea's bio industry at turning point after pandemic
  • Can Chinese demand cushion blow of US recession on Asian economies?
  • Concerns grow over COVID-19 resurgence
  • Umbrella union stages massive rallies in Seoul amid scorching heat
  • More than six out of 10 South Koreans willing to fight for country
  • Not just another crypto-bubble
  • Inflation expected to accelerate further in 2nd half
  • Japanese media focuses on Yoon's 'sales diplomacy'
  • N. Korea lashes out at closer security ties among S. Korea, US, Japan
  • Cha Eun-woo eyes starring role in 'K-Pop: Lost in America' Cha Eun-woo eyes starring role in 'K-Pop: Lost in America'
  • BTS' J-Hope tops iTunes charts in 84 countries BTS' J-Hope tops iTunes charts in 84 countries
  • Moon Geun-young to make directorial film debut at BIFAN Moon Geun-young to make directorial film debut at BIFAN
  • Lee Jung-hyun returns to big screen after childbirth Lee Jung-hyun returns to big screen after childbirth
  • BLACKPINK's 'Ddu-du Ddu-du' sets YouTube views record for K-pop group BLACKPINK's 'Ddu-du Ddu-du' sets YouTube views record for K-pop group
DARKROOM
  • Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

    Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

  • Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

    Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

  • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

  • Poor hit harder by economic crisis

    Poor hit harder by economic crisis

  • Roland Garros 2022

    Roland Garros 2022

The Korea Times
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Location
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Service
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • 고충처리인
  • Youth Protection Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group