May 18th National Cemetery (Gwangju, South Korea)

Forty-one years ago tomorrow, a student uprising began at the university I taught at back in 2013. In Korean, the event is known as 5·18 (오일팔) or the Gwangju Democratization Struggle (광주 민주화 항쟁). 1,394 people were arrested for involvement in the Gwangju uprising, and 427 were indicted. Seven of those received death sentences and 12 received life sentences. 137 victims were carried in handcarts and garbage trucks to be buried at the Old Mangweol-dong Cemetery which has become the “new” Mangweol-dong Cemetery and is the location where today’s photo was taken.

Posted on May 17th, 2021 under Korea. Tags: gwangju, May 18 5.18, Nikon 24mm f/2.8 AF-D nikkor lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on Gwangju Uprising

May 18th National Cemetery

Posted on May 18th, 2014 under Korea. Tags: gwangju, May 18 5.18, Nikon 24mm f/2.8 AF-D nikkor lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on In Remembrance of May 18, 1980

Temple in May 18 Memorial Park in Gwangju

This temple is at the top of a long flight of stairs. The trees surrounding the temple have grown so much since it was built that you can’t see past any of them anymore so the temple looks almost abandoned at this point. I bet the view from here was spectacular a little over a decade ago.

Posted on August 13th, 2013 under Korea. Tags: gwangju, May 18 5.18, May 18 Memorial Park 5.18 기념공원, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on 5.18 Memorial Park Temple

Boy reaching for the sky statue
May 18 Memorial Park (Gwangju, South Korea)

Posted on August 11th, 2013 under Korea. Tags: gwangju, May 18 5.18, May 18 Memorial Park 5.18 기념공원, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on 5.18 Memorial Park statue