North American Speaking Tour of Korean Activists
25th Anniversary of Historic Gwangju People's Uprising

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Gwangju People's Uprising, a pivotal moment in the movement for Korean democracy and human rights. On May 18, 1980, the people of Gwangju, a city in the south-west of the Korean peninsula, organized spontaneous resistance to liberate their city from the military dictatorship of General Chun Doo Hwan. The people, organized by citizen's committee, held the city for five days before elite south Korean troops under U.S. command were deployed from the De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) to brutally crush the uprising. Hundreds of men, women and children were killed, thousands of others injured, tortured and imprisoned. Their martyrdom and the struggle for democracy, self-determination and re-unification that followed sparked a fundamental transformation of south Korean society that continues to reverberate to this day. Now a national holiday, the Gwangju People's Uprising is revered as a source of inspiration for activists around the world and as a point of unity for the Korean people.

As part of this commemoration, two activists from Gwangju will be visiting the United States and Canada on a speaking tour this May to discuss the legacy of the Gwangju People's Uprising and the prospect of peace on the Korean peninsula, as well as their current involvement in the anti-war movement. The broad aims of this speaking tour are to commemorate and raise awareness of this historic event, make connections between the past and present in Korean history and between different struggles, as well as create a point of unity for the Korean people and the peoples of the U.S. and Canada.

The two activists have been part of the Korean democracy and human rights movement since 1980. Kim, Hyo-Suk participated in the 1980 Gwangju People's Uprising as a high school student and became a political prisoner. Mr. Kim teaches at Song Won College and is president of May Light, an organization established in 1998 to promote human rights and peace. Mr. Kim is Co-Director of Korea Truth Commission in Gwangju-Chonnam, Co-Director of Antiwar Alliance, a representative of the Life and Human Rights Division of Buddhist Action Solidarity. Lee, Shin, a former student activist, is a graduate student at Chonnam University Mr. Lee is also director of policy for the Reunification Alliance in Gwangju-Chonnam and of the Investigation for the Korea Truth Commission also in Gwangju-Chonnam.

Boston: Friday, May 13, 2005 6:30 P.M.,
284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain

NYC: May 14th, 2005, Saturday, 7:00 pm [Korean event]
Korean YWCA
42-07 Parsons Blvd.
Flushing

NYC: May 15th, 2005, Sunday, 1:00 pm
UN Church Center Boss Room
777 UN Plaza, NY
44th Street between 1st Ave – 2nd Ave
New York
refreshment served.
In addition to the two speakers, there will also be a 15-minute video presentation, a photographic display and brochures and other materials to inform participants about the Gwangju Uprising and its legacy.

For general information about the tour: www.koreatruth.org  

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