6·10 Movements – Korea Democratic Movements

701233 ─ 1987.02.07.

Non-violent Strike for Peace

“Revive Jong-Cheol Park!”

In January 1987, Park Jong-Cheol, a student from Seoul National University, was tortured to death by the anti-communist office in ‘NamYeong-dong’. In response, people held a memorial service for him and demanded the truth. A memorial mass for ‘Park Jong-Cheol’ happened at ‘Myeongdong Cathedral’ on January 26, followed by nationwide memorial ceremonies in 16 different cities on February 7. On March 3, people marched against torturing and for democracy. This march is referred as March 3 Peace Parade.
However, Chun Doo-Hwan government announced ‘protection of the constitution’ on April 13. Maintaining the constitution meant to keep the indirect election and to publicly declare the extension of dictatorship. On May 18, the Catholic Priest Association for Justice(CPAJ) disclosed that the death of Park Jong-Cheol was covered up and manipulated by the dictatorship government. People were outraged and planned for nationwide protests against the incident and the anti-democracy of the government on June 10.

740037 ─ 1987.06.12.

Strikes, the Pivot of Democratic Movements

“Overthrow the murderous government
for a democratic government!”

On June 10, 1987, a nationwide movement against the concealment of torture and murder was held across the country. People shouted for the cancelation of ‘constitution protection’ and ‘overthrow of the dictatorship’. From 4 P.M., a historical protest started with people gathered around MyungDong Cathedral.
The protest movement in Busan started from Busan Catholic Church. On June 16, people and students protesting around the International Market and NamPo-Dong area gathered to create a new hub.
Yonsei University and Severance Hospital became a new pivot place as more and more people gathered around after Lee Han-Yeol, a protesting student, got shot on the head by police. People did not stop the protest and kept the spirit of the June 10 Uprising until the early July, when the funeral service happened.

740032 ─ 1987.06.26.

Reachieved Democracy from the Streets

“Let’ get together for June 10
National Convention!”

In June, people who had been demanding democratization in a non-violent and peaceful way began to take direct actions. On June 10, 240,000 people attended the 'National Convention against the Concealment of Torture and Murder & Abolition of the Wrong Constitution' held in 22 cities across the country. On June 18, 1.5 million people attended the event against the use of tear gas, which was held in 24 places in 16 cities. On June 26, more than 1.3 million people participated in the peace march to achieve a democratic constitution held in 34 cities and 4 provinces.
The direct actions of people were continuously repeated everyday throughout June from the very early to the very late at night. People had to run away from the violent police force and suffered with small and big injuries. At the end, people finally received the surrender of the June 29 Declaration from the dictatorship of Chun Doo-hwan.

739347 ─ 1987.09.03.

1987, Forwarding Workers

“Guarantee three labor rights!”

As the June 10 Uprising progressed, the participation of workers gradually increased. People, including students and workers, led the protests during the day, and in the evening, workers led them after work. There was an army of ties(office workers) in the city areas, where as industrial workers stood at the frontline of the civil movements in the industrial complexes.
Furthermore, the workers applied their experiences of the June 10 Uprising to their workplaces. People’s experience of resistance for democracy has become an important cornerstone for democratization in the workplace, such as improving the basic labor rights, such as poor working environments, low wages, long working hours, by abolishing unjust labor laws and establishing democratic labor-management relationships. It can be said that the three-months long nationwide protest of workers which happened from July 1987, was an extension of the June 10 Uprsing.

Drawing by Lee Jung-Su

The June 10 Uprising in Seoul

A living democracy

Seoul has been contributing the most to the dynamic history of Korea. As the country capital, it has been the center for politics, economy, culture, and art. It was also the main stage for the 4.19 Revolution, Anti Korea-Japan Agreement Struggle, the June 10 Uprising, and the Candlelight Rallies. The history of Seoul shows the history and democracy of Korea.
In the June 10 Uprising of 1987, ‘Myeongdong Cathedral’ was the center of civil movements. People remembered ‘Park Jong-Cheol’, struggled to find the truth about his death, and had sit-in strikes. During June, streets of Seoul, such as ‘Eulji-ro’, ‘Toegye-ro’, and ‘Myeong-dong’, became the areas for protesting against the dictatorship of Chun Doo-Hwan. People voluntarily gathered in Seoul, seeking for democracy.

Drawing of The Jun 10 Uprising in Daejeon

Drawing by Lee Jung-Su

The June 10 Uprising in Daejeon

Equal world created by
people and students

In Daejeon, ‘JungAng-ro’, 1.5km street between Daejeon Station and the former Chungnam Provincial Office, was the center of the June10 Uprising. ‘Daeheung-dong Cathedral’, ‘Dongyang Department Store’, ‘Socheong 1st Avenue’, ‘Hongmyeong Shopping Street’, ‘JungAng Depart’, ‘Daejeon Theater’, and ‘Academy Theater’ were located on this street. The June 10 Uprising in Daejeon started with nationwide protests against the incident of ‘Park Jong-Cheol’. The protest lasted as late as midnight.
The most monumental day in Daejeon for civil movements is June 15. About 7,000 Chungnam National University students marched 10km from Yuseong to Daejeon Station, then gathered up with 10,000 students from Mokwon University and Hannam University, as well as 10,000 citizens on JungAng-ro to hold the nationwide movement for canceling the unjust constitution protection. In the single month of June, over 500,000 people participated in the June 10 Uprising in Daejeon.

Drawing of The Jun 10 Uprising in Incheon

Drawing by Lee Jung-Su

The June 10 Uprising in Incheon

Civil uprising led by labor forces

In the Incheon, the June 10 Uprising was led by citizens, students, and workers. Incheon has geographical characteristic where industrial complexes are gathered to the north of the Gyeong-In(Gyeonggi-Incheon) train line and the city area is spread out to the south. Due to these regional characteristics, civil uprisings in Incheon were mainly carried out in areas around Bupyeong and East-Incheon Stations, and industrial complexes, where citizens, students, and workers could gather together easily.
Incheon is a port, an educational city, and a city of workers. Thus workers took a big part in the June 10 Uprising. At the Bupyeong Industrial Complex, where big companies like Daewoo Motors, Colt instruments, Handok Watches, and Dongseo Foods are gathered, workers gathered together to form anti-dictatorship protests. After July, these movements later expanded to the nationwide Great Strike of Workers.

Drawing of The Jun 10 Uprising in Gwangju

Drawing by Lee Jung-Su

The June 10 Uprising in Gwangju

Democracy, started in May

The June 10 Uprising in the Gwangju started in May. In commemoration of the 7th anniversary of the May 18th Democratic Uprising, the ‘Headquarters Against the April 13th Constitutional Measures and Achieved the Democratic Constitution' was launched and started asking for the truth and the punishment of responsible personnel. The June 10 Uprising started to heat up as more than 45,000 people gathered for the assembly in Wongaksa temple on June 19.
Even though it was Sunday, people started to gather up from the afternoon and in the evening, more than 10,000 people showed up at the Gwangju Park on June 21. In the beginning of July, the most number of people gathered up in front of the former Jeonnam Provincial Office on GeumNam-ro to remember ‘Lee Han-Yeol’, a student who died by police’s tear gas. This was the very first time Gwangju people gathered on Geumnam-ro since May 1980.

Drawing by Lee Jung-Su

The June 10 Uprising in Busan

From Bu-Ma Uprising
to the June 10 Uprising

The 1979 Bu-Ma Democratic Uprising, which shook the foundation of Park Chung-Hee Yushin regime, was able to fulfill its historical mission through the June 10 Uprising in Busan in 1987, which urged the collapse of Chun Doo-Hwan's dictatorship.
The two civil uprisings in Busan took place at Seomyeon Rotary, Beomnaegol Rotary, Busan Station, Nampo-dong, and Daecheong-dong. These were the best places for people to have protests because they were all connected by a straight main road.
The June 10 Uprising in Busan was intense as ‘Busan Catholic Center Sit-in Strike’ became the next biggest sit-in strikes after one in Myeongdong Cathedral. As Busan Catholic Center became the main area for Busan civil movements, the uprising became even more intense. The workers of the Sa-sang Industrial Complex and the Yeongdo shipyard actively participated in the civil uprising and later, this movement became the milestone of 7·8·9 Labor Strike.