Friends of Korea
Visit our Facebook page
  • Welcome
    • Kevin O'Donnell Distinguished Friend of Korea Award - call for nominations >
      • 2020 Honoree - Kenneth Klein
      • 2019 Honorees - Bruce Ballard & Sook Nyul Choi
      • 2018 Honoree - Shim Jai Ok
      • 2017 Honorees - Pioneers in Korean Studies
      • 2016 Honoree - Amb. Kathy Stephens
    • Peace Corps - an essay by G. Krzic
    • Remembering in the time of COVID-19
    • Photos and Videos >
      • Video Gallery
      • Photo Gallery: Arriving in Korea
      • Photo Gallery: TB Program in Korea
      • Photo Gallery: Road Show 1981
      • Photo Gallery: Biwon in Winter
    • A Simple Prayer - a musical tribute
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Board of Directors
    • Annual Reports
    • Honorary Membership
    • KOICA/World Friends Korea
    • FOK Blog
    • Past Annual Meetings >
      • 2018 Annual Meeting >
        • 2018 annual meeting - slide show
      • 2017 Annual Meeting >
        • 2017 annual mtg photo gallery
      • 2016 Annual Meeting >
        • 2016 annual mtg photo galllery
      • 2015 Annual Meeting >
        • 2015 Annual Mtg Photo Gallery
      • 2014 Annual Meeting
      • 2013 Annual Meeting
  • Resources
    • FoK Webinars
    • Newsletters >
      • Yobosayo - June 2020
      • Yobosayo - Nov 2019 >
        • Suggestions for further reading
      • Yobosayo - March 2019
      • Yobosayo - May 2018
      • Yobosayo - November 2017
      • Yobosayo - April 2017
    • News about Korea
    • Korea Times column
    • News Sources
    • Korean Cultural Treasures
    • Korean Food >
      • Dining Out in North America: Korea Style
    • Blogs of Interest
  • Events
    • 2020 Annual Meeting - video
    • Revisit Trips >
      • Impressions of the revisits
      • Slide Show - Korea, Then and Now
    • 2018 Reunion - LA >
      • In Remembrance - A Tribute
    • Upcoming Events - Universities
    • Upcoming events: KEI & Korea Society
    • Upcoming events: Korean Cultural Centers - DC, NYC & LA
    • Past Events >
      • Seoul in Sept 2016
      • Korean Cultural Day in LA, June 5
      • ROK the Rockies - June 19-21, 2015
      • Art exhibition, Sept 2014
      • Consulate Reception in Seattle June 2014
  • Projects
    • Project Bridge - Youth Ambassadors
    • Giving Back
    • USC Archives - PC Korea
    • The Korean Transformation
    • Photo Exhibit >
      • Slide Show - Opening of Photo Exhibit in LA Jan 2012
      • Scenes from Ohio Exhibit
      • FOK Publication -- "Through Our Eyes"
    • The Museum Project >
      • Exhibit opening
      • Museum Slide Show
      • Video -- MOU signing & volunteer interviews
  • Support Us
    • Join us
    • Join offline
    • Give the gift of membership
    • Peace Corps Korea Store - Zazzle
    • Amazon Smile
  • Contact Us
    • Event to share?
    • Update your address
    • News to share?
    • Publications Update Form

How does history get captured?  Possible lessons from the Gwangju Uprising

5/20/2019

5 Comments

 
Picture
This is the third in a series of blogs by Paul Courtright who is on a personal revisit in Korea.

We always hear: the victors write the history.  Certainly, for many years after the Gwangju Uprising the official history was written by the Chun Du-Hwan government.  It should come as no surprise that the government narrative did not reflect the fact that they perpetrated the massacre.  And since then?


It is unfortunate that in the intervening years there was no investigation to fully capture the uprising. Now there is a push to get a complete historical record.  Although Gwangju was the epicenter, Naju, Mokpo, Damyang and other Jeonnam towns were also involved.  To capture the full story, interviews will be needed with thousands of people—only then can the full breath of the event be understood.  Each of us who were witnesses actually only witnessed bits and pieces of the much larger picture. 
 
On Tuesday I got a taxi in the small town of Nampyeong, about 15 km south of Gwangju, to go to the leprosy resettlement village I lived and worked in from 1979-80.  Along the way, my taxi driver, who was about my age and from Nampyeong, and I got into conversation about 1980.  He was surprised that I knew the leprosy village since the village no longer exists. He told me that his brother was killed during the uprising.  Soldiers fired upon his vehicle on the road between Nampyeong and Gwangju.  My photographs of bullet-ridden vehicles had appeared in the Gwangju newspaper just that morning, along with my interview. Was his brother in one of those vehicles? Has his story been told?


Last week in Seoul I met a Canadian historian and mentioned to him that, as the first PCV to get out of Gwangju (the day before the military re-took the town) I’d gone immediately to Seoul to give my account to the U.S. Embassy. Unfortunately, that official debriefing never took place and was limited to my contact with the Peace Corps office. My historian friend said that that’s not what the cables from the US Embassy to Washington DC said.  That shook me—something wasn’t right. He and others understood that I’d debriefed the US Embassy about what I’d seen in Gwangju.  He sent me a copy of the cable and it reads: “Four Peace Corps Volunteers could not be reached. (We have talked with PCV Paul Courtwright)” (sic)  In fact, given the date of the cable and the wording, I realized that it was just an acknowledgement that I had contacted the Peace Corps office after I got to my village--after taking a back way, over the hills, to get out of Gwangju.  This was not a debriefing.  The take home message: the terseness of cables leave them open for multiple interpretations. 

The Jeonnam provincial capital building has been retained as a museum and it was really helpful to go and see it after over 38 years, particularly because it’s one of the settings in the memoir I’m writing.  During the uprising I wrote down everything that happened—not for the sake of posterity but because it was the only way I could get some sleep at night.  Even with my notes however, some things were forgotten. I thought the building was just two stories—it is actually three stories. I had to go over the hills separating Gwangju from where my village was located and I had lost track, in my mind, of some of the terrain.  Being back in my village and traveling the short distance—only 15 km--between Gwangju and Nampyeong helped me remember the “feel” of the land.  Needless to say, the trees have grown since then and some of the area is now filled with apartment blocks.    
​
There are still some aspects of the story of the uprising that remain unclear.  I’ve heard that the Korean military had plans to bomb Gwangju—is that true? While the early cables from the US Embassy to Washington DC present an ill-informed perspective of what was going on in Gwangju the later cables are much better informed, balanced and objective.  What happened in between these two times?  
​

5 Comments
Linda Mark
6/25/2020 12:38:58 am

HOW I GOT MY LOAN FROM THIS GREAT COMPANY

Hello my dear people, I am Linda McDonald, currently living in Austin Texas, USA. I am a widow at the moment with three kids and i was stuck in a financial situation in April 2020 and i needed to refinance and pay my bills. I tried seeking loans from various loan firms both private and corporate but never with success, and most banks declined my credit ,do not full prey to those hoodlums at there that call them self-money lender they are all scam , all they want is your money and you will not hear from them again they have done it to me twice before I met Mr. David Wilson the most interesting part of it is that my loan was transfer to me within 74hours so I will advise you to contact Mr. David if you are interested in getting loan and you are sure you can pay him back on time you can contact him via email……… (davidwilsonloancompany4@gmail.com) No credit check, no cosigner with just 2% interest rate and better repayment plans and schedule if you must contact any firm with reference to securing a loan without collateral then contact Mr. David Wilson today for your loan.

They offer all kind of categories of loan .
Short term loan (5_10years)
Long term loan (20_40)
Media term loan (10_20)
They offer loan like
Home loan............., Business loan........ Debt loan.......
Student loan.........., Business startup loan
Business loan......., Company loan.............. etc
Email..........( davidwilsonloancompany4@gmail.com)
When it comes to financial crisis and loan then David Wilson loan financial is the place to go please just tell him I Mrs. Linda McDonald direct you Good Luck.......................

Reply
lendingtree
9/4/2020 11:09:27 am

Hello ladies and gentlemen
Do you really need a loan? Is the economy affecting you?
Do you want to improve your business?
Do you need a loan to start a project?
Are you a farmer and do you need a loan to finance your farm?
Do you need financial support to build a house or buy real estate?
Do you need a loan for another purpose?

We can help you, we offer loans for companies and individuals.

We offer different loan options to anyone who needs financial assistance and due to what is happening all over the world we decided to give you a loan at an interest rate of 2.50% per annum and you can also decide how much you want to borrow.

To find out more about our unique loan offer, send an email via || lendingtreeloan460@gmail.com || or Email us on WhatsApp via: +2348107219280

You can apply for a loan anywhere, anytime in your own convenient place, using your phone or laptop.

Reply
Dukova Sadrine
12/15/2020 11:09:06 am

loan offer

Hi ma'am and sir, we are individuals offering loan to anyone who needs loan to solve other problem. We offer from 2,000 to 10,000,000 € with an interest rate of 3%. For more information, please contact us by email:

sadrinedukova96@gmail.com

Reply
lendingtree
12/28/2020 08:47:36 pm

Hello ladies and gentlemen
Do you really need a loan? Is the economy affecting you?
Do you want to improve your business?
Do you need a loan to start a project?
Are you a farmer and do you need a loan to finance your farm?
Do you need financial support to build a house or buy real estate?
Do you need a loan for another purpose?

We can help you, we offer loans for companies and individuals.

We offer different loan options to anyone who needs financial assistance and due to what is happening all over the world we decided to give you a loan at an interest rate of 2% per annum and you can also decide how much you want to borrow.

To find out more about our unique loan offer, send an email via || lendingtreeloan460@gmail.com ||

You can apply for a loan anywhere, anytime in your own convenient place, using your phone or laptop.

Reply
OLGA FINANCIAL
2/10/2021 06:30:41 pm

Urgent funding today (Email: olgaelena0001@gmail.com)

Hello good day,

Do you want to borrow and do not know where to get a real loan?
Want to start a business but don't have the capital?
Do you need to apply for a loan for any reason?


Your hope is finally here, because we provide fast and reliable loans, our service is 100% real and guarantees that you will be able to borrow when applying, contact us by e-mail and confirm it today at: olgaelena0001@gmail.com

Thank you and God bless
TRUST
Elena

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Friends of Korea

    This is a BLOG for and about Friends of Korea.

    Archives

    May 2019
    August 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    November 2012

    Categories

    All
    K-Pop

    RSS Feed

Guidestar 2019 Silver Seal of Transparency

Friends of Korea 

Picture
2021 L Street, NW
Suite 101-403

Washington, DC 20036
contact@friendsofkorea.net

Support FOK when you shop at Amazon.com
Copyright  © 2013-2021 Friends of Korea