May 18th National Cemetery

The May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju is South Korea's official memorial and burial ground for the victims of the Gwangju Uprising, which lasted from May 18 to 27, 1980. Citizens rose against the military government of Chun Doo-hwan and were suppressed by paratroopers and special forces in a massacre that killed hundreds — the precise death toll remains disputed to this day. The uprising is widely regarded as the pivotal moment in South Korea's long struggle for democracy, with a moral weight comparable to other defining civil tragedies of the 20th century. Inaugurated in 1997, the site comprises burial fields, a memorial museum, and open ceremonial grounds. Each year on May 18th — a national holiday since 2011 — thousands gather here for a state commemoration ceremony.