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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Monday Masses at 5·18 Church Wipe Away Gwangju's Tears

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • The Namdong 5·18 Memorial Catholic Church in Gwangju, South Korea, symbolizes the dedication of religious communities during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
  • The church served as a meeting point for religious and civil society leaders to address the crisis and organized a "march of death" to prevent martial law troops from entering the city.
  • Following the uprising, weekly Monday masses were held at the church to advocate for the release of detainees and an investigation into the events.
  • The article also details the experiences of Archbishop Yun Gong-heui, who witnessed the crackdown from the Catholic Center and later relayed the atrocities to Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan and the US ambassador, though efforts to intervene were largely unsuccessful.

The Namdong 5·18 Memorial Catholic Church in Gwangju stands as a powerful symbol of the religious community's commitment during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. Officially declared a "5·18 Memorial Church" in 2005, it represents the efforts of Catholic and Protestant groups to comfort and advocate for the citizens during the brutal crackdown.

I saw soldiers catching young people, stripping them, beating them with clubs, and loading them into cars. People were bleeding from their chests and necks, staggering and collapsing. While thinking that those injured needed urgent treatment, I couldn't bring myself to go down.

— Archbishop Yun Gong-heuiRecounting the brutal suppression witnessed from the Catholic Center.

During the uprising, the church served as a crucial hub where religious leaders and civil society figures convened to strategize and manage the unfolding crisis. In a desperate attempt to prevent martial law troops from re-entering the city on May 26, 1980, these individuals organized what became known as the "march of death." Following the suppression of the uprising, the church became a site for weekly Monday masses, dedicated to securing the release of those imprisoned and demanding a thorough investigation into the events.

Archbishop Yun Gong-heui of the Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju recounted witnessing the military's violent suppression of civilians from the 6th floor of the Catholic Center. He described soldiers stripping, beating, and detaining young people, with some bleeding heavily. The Archbishop confessed to feeling like the "Good Samaritan" who passed by a victim, a sentiment that deeply troubled him.

Ah, I am a priest who passes by the side of a man who has been robbed. I thought that, and it has stayed with me.

— Archbishop Yun Gong-heuiReflecting on his inaction during the Gwangju Uprising.

Archbishop Yun attempted to relay the gravity of the situation to Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan and the US Ambassador, Gleysteen, hoping to prevent further bloodshed. However, these efforts faced significant obstacles. Cardinal Kim's meeting with then-General Chun Doo-hwan proved unproductive, as Chun cited a "rebellion" and refused substantive discussion. Furthermore, despite pleas to the US ambassador, American military support for the crackdown was already in motion, rendering intervention efforts largely futile. The article highlights the profound moral distress experienced by religious leaders who witnessed the atrocities but were constrained in their ability to halt the violence.

Now, a rebellion is occurring, and it is impossible to have a conversation.

— Chun Doo-hwanGeneral Chun Doo-hwan's response to Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan's plea to stop the violence.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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