The sixth history trip to Gwangju was held from May 26th to 27th by the General Students’ Association, the General Female Students’ Association, the Club Association, and the Students’ Union for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. There were a greater number of participants in this year’s trip than last year’s.

The point of the trip is to remind us of the meaning of the Gwangju Democratization Movement, and to encourage people to continue to remember it. The movement refers to a popular uprising against Chun Do-hwan and the army in the city of Gwangju, South Korea from May 18 to 27, 1980. While it was begun by students, it spread to all classes of people. During the uprising, the army brutally and indiscriminately suppressed the demonstrators, causing bloodshed. A historical revaluation of the Gwangju Democratization Movement is currently being conducted, though it has not yet achieved widespread recognition.

On the first day of the trip, students felt the spirit of the movement while going around 5.18 National Cemetery in Mangwol-dong and Geumnamno where the uprising occurred. On the second day, students toured Juknokwon in Damyang, a park filled with green bamboo. Here they could refresh their minds.

I interviewed some of the students who planned and participated in this trip.

1. How was the trip planned?
- No Tae-hyun (Dept. of Industrial & Systems Engineering ‘06, the President of the General Students’ Association): We wanted people to understand the significance of the Gwangju Democratization Movement and how people gained democracy in Korea. So, we planned the trip to remind students about these historical matters.

2. What is it that you wanted students to gain from this trip?
- No Tae-hyun: I wanted them to determine their own view of history and feel the true meaning and value of the present democracy of Korea by commemorating the spirit of 5.18. Also, the trip was an opportunity for them to think about what they can do for democracy.

3. Why did you participate in the trip?
- Ban Kwan-ho (Dept. of history ‘09, the President of the College of Humanities): As I am a student studying history, I wanted to experience what the situation was like at that time by going to the scene of the history.
- Kim Jun-hyeok (Dept. of Business Administration ‘11): I participated in last year’s trip, but at that time I had only joined to go out with my seniors without really knowing why. But this time, I joined the trip because I wanted to know the history of Gwangju in depth.

4.How did you feel after the trip?
- Ban Kwan-ho: I felt many things while thinking about the people’s uprising in the 5.18 Cemetery and Geumnamno. I want our school students to be more concerned about our national history as a result of this trip.
- Kim Jun-hyeok: I think the difference between people knowing something well and being somewhat ignorant of it is profound. I felt nothing when I saw the tombs of patriotic martyrs on last year’s trip. But the pain of 5.18 touched my heart more after I learned about the life of each of them. I want to join in next year’s trip as well.

Park Ji-min  applemaro@changwon.ac.kr

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