South Korea: Martial law caused student massacre in 1980

South Korean President Han Dong-hoon’s attempt to implement martial law in the country this Wednesday (3) (Brasília time) brought back to Koreans painful memories of what became known as the Gwangju Massacre.

What happened

In May 1980, around 200 students were murdered by military personnel during the application of martial law by General Chun Doo-hwan. They were protesting in the city of Gwangju against the military government, which came to power after the assassination of another dictator, President Park Chung Hee, in October 1979.

That month, Chun expanded martial law to the entire country due to an alleged invasion attempt by North Korea. According to the South Korean website NK News, the general argued that the North Koreans would carry out the invasion amid student protests.