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May 18: Participant Recollections Interviews with Park Young-sun and Ahn Giljeong Interviews by Jeong Jiyeon and Melline Galani Photographs by Yunkyoung (Hillel) Kim “May 18” or “5.18” is shorthand for the Gwangju May 18 Democratic Movement, the ten-day “incident” that took place in Gwangju in May of 1980. As part of the Gwangju News’ recognition of the 40th anniversary of this event, we bring you two interviews by two individuals who took a stand against the brutality of the martial law troops – two individuals who were occupants of the Provincial Office and apprehended by the troops, two individuals imprisoned for their stand against tyranny and who have lived to tell their stories. The first of the two interviews is with Ms. Park Young-sun whose loudspeaker voice was heard throughout much of Gwangju during the bloodiest days of the uprising. The second is with Dr. Ahn Giljeong, a student protester at the time, who has now devoted himself to unveiling the truths about May 18. — Ed.
INTERVIEW WITH MS. PARK YOUNG-SUN
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The next day, I woke up at the Sangmu Gymnasium across from the Provincial Office. Among those arrested, I was the only woman. Later, I found out that senior citizens, women, and children were ordered to leave the Provincial Office plaza area at a citizen’s rally the day before, on May 26. I was later sent to the Gwangsan Police Station, where I met Cho Mi-ran, Lee Hye-shin, Cha Myung-soo, and Jeon Ok-ju. I was taken to a general hospital with Jeon Ok-ju due to the deterioration in my physical condition, but the interrogations continued at the hospital. The policeman, who oversaw the investigation at the time, told me that it would be difficult to reduce my punishment because of the last broadcast I had made from the Provincial Office. In a subsequent military trial, I was sentenced to one year in prison for “violation of the martial law and rebellion,” I was released on parole on October 31 of that year.
May 2020
GN: Could you describe in detail the situation at the time of your last broadcast? Ms. Park: From May 21 to 26, I made street broadcasts from the loudspeaker van, driving around Gwangju and its outlying areas, telling about the situation around the Provincial Office, including returning firearms, making blood donations, and scheduled street events. Normally, I would return home in the broadcasting vehicle
All the people from the building, including me, were taken to the plaza in front of the Provincial Office with our hands and feet tied. I was briefly awakened by the sounds of soldiers’ voices verbally abusing me and then immediately fainted again.
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GN: Could you please describe you own experience during the events of May 1980 and how you got involved? Ms. Park: At the time, I was attending Songwon University and worked as a gayageum teacher at Gwangju Girls High School, and we were preparing for the Honam Arts Festival in May. On May 20, I remember there were only rumors that protests had taken place in Gwangju, but I had never actually witnessed any. So, every day my students and I practiced through the afternoon and returned home by bus. Then on the 21st, I finished practice in the morning to let the girls return home because all the bus service had stopped that day. At about 1 or 2 p.m., I was in the area of the Provincial Office trying to go home, when I suddenly heard gunshots and screams from every direction. At that moment, a van approached me, and I was asked by a male student riding inside to make a street broadcast to the people. Without a second thought, I got in the speakerequipped van and started the street broadcasts.
FEATURE
Gwangju News (GN): Thank you for agreeing to do this interview for the Gwangju News about the events surrounding the May 18 Democratic Uprising. To start off, could you please briefly introduce yourself? Park Young-sun: My name is Park Young-sun, and I am the woman who did the last broadcast of the Gwangju Uprising on May 27, 1980.
before sunset, but on the 26th, I was about to leave the Provincial Office after sunset. However, I met a middle school girl who hadn’t gone home in the hallway near the broadcasting room, and I stayed up all night with her in the building until the martial law forces assaulted the building at around 2 or 3 a.m. In order to spread the news, I sent out the last broadcast through the building’s rooftop speakers so that all of Gwangju would be aware of what was happening. After that last broadcast, random gunfire hit the transmission room as soldiers yelled at us to come out on our knees with our hands raised. As soon as I left the room, I was crushed by boots and fainted.
4/24/2020 4:15:17 PM
