The Gwangju Democratization Movement and Our Right as Citizens
Haveyou ever heard about the Gwangju Democratization Movement? A recently releasedfilm named “A Taxi Driver” wasbased on this movement. Many people have become interested in the GwangjuDemocratization Uprising because of this movie. Today, I will explain about theGwangju Democratization Movement and the movie “A TaxiDriver.”
The Movement happened from May 18 to May27, 1980. According to many documents, more than 200 people may have died andabout 3,000 people got hurt or lost. During this period, the president, ChunDoo-hwan, came into power and ruled the nation by military force. He declaredmartial law to control the public. However, Chonnam University students, who opposedthe unjust government, demanded the elimination of martial law and theresignation of the president. To achieve this goal, the Gwangju DemocratizationMovement started.
The government, however, intended tosuppress the demonstrators ruthlessly by using an airborne division, and in theprocess of suppressing them, many innocent people were subjected to a randommassacre. In addition, the government forced the press not to report the newsabout this massacre. Other people living in the rest of Korea did not know whatwas going on in Gwangju. Fortunately, thanks to Jurgen Hinzpeter, who reportedthe news worldwide, people could be saved from the cruel dictatorship, and theworld realized the critical situation in Korea.
“A Taxi Driver”includes the true story of the Gwangju Movement. This movie is also about aGerman reporter, Jurgen Hinzpeter, who goes to Gwangju to report the news inthe city by taxi. Before I watched this movie, I did not know much about theMovement, so I was really shocked. I couldn't believe that such a terribleincident happened in 1980 in Korea, only 30 years ago!
After I watched this move, I realized thata reporter's sense of duty saved a number of lives. I will also have this senseof duty when I grow up. In addition, knowing the truth in this world full ofinformation is important and the right to know should be guaranteed. I thankthose who fought for democratization with all my heart. Thank you for readingmy essay.
(요약)
영화 ‘택시운전사’로 인해 광주민주화운동이 재조명되면서 국민들의 많은 관심을 이끌었습니다. 1980년 5월, 전두환대통령 집권 하에 계엄령이 선포되었습니다. 전남대학교 학생들을 비롯하여 광주의 많은 시민들이 부당한정권에 대한 반기를 들었습니다. 그러나 정부는 무자비하게 무고한 국민들을 억압했고, 살인하였고 거기다 언론을 장악하여 사실을 은폐하려 하였습니다. 다행히도, 리포터 Jurgen Hinzpeter의 노력으로 세계의 관심이 모이기시작했지만, 200명 이상이 생명을 잃었고, 3천명 이상이다친 아픈 과거사를 가지게 되었습니다. 영화 ‘택시운전사’를 보기 전에는 지식으로만 알았던 슬픈 역사적사실에 대해 충격을 받았고, 올바른 직업의식과 생명의 소중함, 그리고진실의 중요성을 깨달았습니다. 소중하게 지킨 국민의 권리는 보장 되어야 하며 민주주의가 수호되길 바라며이 글을 썼습니다.
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