May 18th National Cemetery

The May 18th National Cemetery is the resting place of those who died in, or took part in, the May 18 Democratic Uprising in Gwangju in 1980. On a gentle hillside in Unjeong-dong, Buk-gu, the graves lead up to a memorial tower, a hall of portraits and exhibition spaces. It is a place to reflect quietly on the price paid for Korean democracy.

History: from Mangwol-dong to a national cemetery

On 18 May 1980, the people of Gwangju rose up against the new military leadership's expansion of martial law and its violent crackdown, and many civilians were killed by martial-law troops. The victims were first buried in a corner of the municipal cemetery at Mangwol-dong, which for years drew mourners as a "sacred ground of democracy".

After the uprising was officially reassessed from 1993, a new cemetery was planned. Construction began in November 1994 and was completed in May 1997, and the remains were moved here from Mangwol-dong. It became a national cemetery on 27 July 2002. The old Mangwol-dong cemetery still lies nearby, and many people visit both.

What to see

• Gate of Democracy: The main entrance, with a visitors' book.
• May 18 Memorial Tower: Two pillars about 40 m high, modelled on the traditional flagpole supports found at Korean temples. The oval sculpture between them symbolises new life and resurrection. Visits begin at the square in front of the tower.
• The graves: 778 people are buried in the first burial area and 208 in the second area. Each headstone carries a name and the years of birth and death.
• Portrait Enshrinement Hall: Built in the shape of a dolmen, its walls are lined with photographs of those buried here.
• Sculptures and history gates: Bronze groups depicting the citizens' armed resistance and a world of shared community, and seven history courts with themes ranging from the righteous armies, the Donghak movement and the March 1st Movement to reunification.

Etiquette

This is first and foremost a cemetery. Speak quietly among the graves and do not climb on or lean against headstones. Most visitors pause for a moment of silence at the memorial tower before walking through the graves. Every year on 18 May a national ceremony is held, and access may be restricted.

The old cemetery and spaces of remembrance

Not far from the new cemetery lies the old Mangwol-dong cemetery, where the victims lay for 17 years before being moved. Under military rule there were attempts to remove it, but it survived. It also holds people who died in later democracy struggles, such as the student Lee Han-yeol, killed in the June Democratic Struggle of 1987, and Kang Gyeong-dae, who died during a protest in 1991, so many visitors pay their respects at both sites.

Within the new cemetery there are more spaces of remembrance. The Gate of History displays photographs and documentary footage from the time, and the two-storey Sungmoru hall shows films about the uprising. Beyond the roughly three-storey Gate of Remembrance the graves spread out, and on the slope above is the Hill of Democracy, planted with "trees of democracy" in memory of the victims.

Tripto tips

• Opening: 09:00–18:00. Entry and parking are free.
• Getting there: Gwangju city bus No. 518 runs to the cemetery, passing Gwangju Station, the Asia Culture Center, the U-Square bus terminal (Gwangcheon Terminal) and the 5.18 Memorial Culture Center.
• Time: 1–2 hours for the tower, the graves and the portrait hall, more if you walk to the old cemetery.
• Learn more: May 18 Democracy Square, the Asia Culture Center and the May 18 Democratic Uprising Archives in the city centre help you follow the events of those days.