Gwangju

Gwangju (also spelled Kwangju, 광주광역시, 光州廣域市) is a city in the South Jeolla province in South Korea of which it is the capital. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the home minister.

The city was established a long time ago (c. 57 BC) and has been a centre of trade ever since. It was one of the administrative centres of Baekje during the Three-Kingdom Period.

With the construction of a railway to Seoul in 1914 modern industry was established. This includes cotton textiles, rice mills and breweries. With the construction of a designated industrial zone in 1967 industry in Gwangju grew markedly, especially the sectors linked to the automobile industry.

In May 1980 civil demonstrations against the newly installed military government of Chun Doo Hwan took place in Gwangju. The demonstrations were suppressed by military forces, including elite units of the Special Operations Command. Most commentators agree that the suppression was characterized by its egregious brutality, including several incidents where military forces fired automatic weapons into crowds of unarmed demonstrators. At least 200 civilians are known to have died. Because of this incident, Gwangju is sometimes called the shrine of the Korean democracy. After the civil rule has been reinstated, a national cemetery was established honoring the victims of the incident.

Chonnam National University and Chosun University are two of the major educational institutions in the city, with several other universities and colleges. Places with exquisite scenery along the outskirts of the city became the birthplace of gasa, a form of Korean classical poetry. Located in the heart of the agricultural Jeolla region, the city is also famous for rich and diverse cuisine.

Population: 1,400,000 (2003, estimate)

See also: Administrative divisions in Gwangju

External Links

• Official website of Gwangju