History repeats itself.
said Greek historian Thucydides.
History repeats itself, said Greek historian Thucydides.
In Myanmar in 2021, what happened in Gwangju, Korea, in May 1980 is reproduced.
A coup occurs when the people are inflated with the anticipation of democratization. Citizens protest against the coup with a three-finger salute which is originated in the film series-The Hunger Games. The military proclaims martial law and fires on citizens.
Whenever I hear the news of the deaths of protesters every day, it makes me sad.
I can understand the feelings of people who heard the news of Korea in 1980. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do.
Yesterday I watched a video of Miss Myanmar crying and appealing to save the people of Myanmar. I am worried that she will be able to return to her homeland safely.
It is currently unpredictable what the outcome of Myanmar’s coup resistance protests.
However, from the historical events 40 years ago, it is possible to guess what will happen in the future.
I tried to summarize what happened in South Korea before and after the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement. I hope this helps with your predictions.
- May 16, 1961, Park Jeong-hee staged a military coup.
- December 17, 1963, Park Chung-Hee took office as president.
- October 26, 1979, Kim Jae-Gyu, head of the Central Intelligence Agency, assassinated Park Jeong-hee.
- December 12, 1979, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo took over the military in a 12.12 military coup.
- May 17, 1980, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo 5.17 coup
They expanded emergency martial law nationwide, banned political parties and political activities, and closed the National Assembly. Furthermore, they detained 2,699 students, politicians, and opposition personages without a warrant. - May 18-28, 1980, Gwangju Democratization Movement
As a result of the Gwangju democratization movement over ten days, 166 people died, 54 people were missing, 376 people died from aftereffects, and 3,139 people were injured. - September 1, 1980, Chun Doo-Hwan took office as the 12th president through an indirect election.
- 1987, June Democratic Struggle
- June 29, 1987, Roh Tae-woo issued the June 29 Declaration the direct election of the president
- 1988, Roh Tae-woo took office as the 13th president
- December 1995, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo were arrested on charges of military rebellion. They were sentenced to death in the first trial court and commuted to life imprisonment in the second trial court.
The Gwangju democratization movement ended in tragedy with many casualties.
We recommend three films to understand Korea’s Gwangju democratization movement better.
Peppermint Candy DVD
May 18 DVD
A Taxi Driver [Blu-ray]
Peppermint Candy (2000)
The story of events leading up to the 1980 Gwangju massacre in South Korea when thousands of students and protesters were killed by armed troops during an anti-government demonstration.
May 18 (2007)
Korean title=Hwaryeohan hyuga(Splendid Holiday)
The operational code name for this military exercise that resulted in the massacre was ‘splendid holiday’.
A Taxi Driver(2017)
A widowed father and taxi driver who drives a German reporter from Seoul to Gwangju to cover the 1980 uprising, soon finds himself regretting his decision after being caught in the violence around him.
It is based on German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter’s and a taxi driver Kim Sa-bok. Kim’s identity and real name were unknown at the time the film was made (Hinzpeter knew him as “Kim Man-Seop” in the movie), most elements regarding his life and the events that happened to him outside of Gwangju are fictional.
-Fine-
