Today, May 18 (Korea) marks the 31st Anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising.

On 17 May 1980, martial law was declared by South Korean military leaders trying to quell a growing demand by the people for a return to Democracy.
The military leadership, led by Major General Chun Doo-hwan, sent paratroopers to Korea's major cities.

The Gwangju Uprising is said to have begun officially at 10am on 18 May, when students demonstrating against the closed schools gathered in front of Cheonnam National University and were beaten and chased off by paratroopers. The students regrouped and began marching to the downtown area.

Paratroops again moved in and began beating and arresting demonstrators as well as anyone they found in the area (as agitators).

Two days later city's taxi drivers amassed at the city centre, their horns blaring and headlights flashing to show support for the demonstrations.

In the afternoon, protesters torched the studios of MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Company), claiming it had broadcast distorted reports of the uprising.

On 21 May, paratroopers fired into a crowd which had gathered to demand an apology for beatings and arrests administered in previous days.

After these attacks the pro-democracy demonstrators began to arm themselves, forming a defensive force called the Citizens Army.

The government order Gwangju sealed off from the rest of the country and troops withdrew and surrounded the city.

Then on the ninth day, the paratroops and regular soldiers moved on protesters gathered at the Provincial Hall early in the morning.

The operation took less than two hours, as the full force of the army was unleashed on the demonstrators. Many were killed by troops firing indiscrimately into crowds of people. Others were beaten to death.

While the government at the time placed the number of dead and injured at 200 and 1000, it's more likely that about 2000 dies, about 2700 were injured and thousands were rounded up around the country. Some were executed, some spent time in prison, others simply disappeared.

Sometimes I'm such an idiot
I typed March instead of May.

Thanks again for catching it

Proofreading is a valuable skill and one I need to work on