Revisiting historical places of the May 18 scenes with the Volunteers

May 18 Freedom Park

This is the place where people who resisted the tough suppression of military dictatorship, who attempted to usurp authority, were jailed. They stood here confronting the military court during the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising. It was reconstructed like the original, 100 meter away from its former site.

Former Sangmudae (Court and Prison)

During the May 18 Uprising, stationed in this Sanmudae's ground were the combat unit and education command post building of the South and North Jeolla Martial Commands Units. The area hosted the prison where those arrested were tortured and beaten. Trials of innocent citizens were held in the military court.The brick and slave-roofed prison, with a capacity of 30 detainees, housed over 150 protesters at once during the May 18 Uprising. The over 150 imprisoned were fed with provisions for only 30 people. It was an unimaginable condition with the unbearable heat and hunger of the imprisoned. At the end of the Uprising, some 3,000 citizens had been brought here and subjected to immeasurably brutal torture and beating, and the military trials held in this court handed down severe punishments of life imprisonment. Under the Sangmudae Land Development Project, the area surrounding the then prison and court was renovated as the May 18 Liberty Park.

'Ju Mok Bab'

The former Provincial Hall

The Jeonnam Provincial Hall was the flash point of May 18
Democratic Uprising, Numerous citizens fell victim to the
brutal suppression as they endured the protest until the
end. Martial troops who were illegitimately diverted from
the national defense to Gwangju and smothered the
uprising. They were ordered to massacre ordinary citizens
by indiscriminate shooting. In the early stage of the
uprising, the Provincial Hall was the rallying point of
the citizen's protest and anger against the tyrannical
military dictatorship. Demonstrators would rally under the
refrain. "Let's March to the Provincial Hal!" When the
martial troops withdrew to the outskirts of Gwangju in the
afternoon of May 21, the Provincial Hall became the focal
point of the citizen's activities led by the uprising
leadership and Citizens Settlement Committee. Also, the
Provincial Hall was the last bastion of the citizen's
force until the morning of May 27, where many innocent
citizens died when it was re-occupied by the military.

May 18 Cemetery

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