Bearing Witness of the Gwangju Uprising

On the road to Gwangju, David encountered a military truck and a bus with protesters. David took a photo of them. He had a confrontation with KCIA agent who was demanding his camera. When he reached the city, he witnessed gunfire from helicopter, results of brutal violences, and the wailing from the deads’ family members. He was shocked by what human can do to other humans. David and 3 other Peace Corps Volunteers helped the wounds and interpreted for foreign journalists.
David was invited to the Provincial Office building, which was the center of the uprising. He got to know students leaders and bore witness to the aftermath of the last stand against the dictatorship. When the 10 days of uprising ended in tragedy, David and other Peace Corps Volunteer were called to the head office. Only David was forced to resigned for violating its rules on political noninterference. Even after he lost his status as a Peace Corps Volunteer, he decided to stay in Korea. He got even involved deeper to Korean history working with the dissident.

What is the Gwangju Uprising?

The 1980 Gwangju Uprising was a people’s uprising by the citizens of Gwangju in response to the brutal and harsh suppression of student protests carried out by the Korean military after their leaders declared martial law and took over the country. It began on May 18 and ended the early morning of May 27, 1980. It began in Gwangju, the capital of South Jeolla province, but also expanded beyond the city to involve the southern half of the province.