The art metropolis of Gwangju – Korea’s cradle of democracy – 5·18 광주 민주화 운동

In May 1980, the South Korean military government brought student protests for freedom and democracy to an end with a massacre of the civilian population. Hundreds of people died, thousands were injured or arrested, and countless others suffered severe trauma – the true casualty figures are likely far higher than officially acknowledged. Today, Gwangju is home to Asia’s oldest art biennial and weaves together history and contemporary art. Set within the mountainous landscape of the UNESCO Geopark Mudeungsan, the city also offers a wealth of destinations for exploration. But the reckoning with that tragic spring is not yet complete. How these events continue to reverberate through Korean society today, and what a German reporter had to do with it, can be heard in “Sonntagsspaziergang” – the culture and travel magazine.