June Democratic Struggle

June Democratic Struggle
Part of the Minjung movement
Crowds gather at the state funeral of Lee Han-yeol in Seoul, July 9, 1987
DateJune 10–29, 1987 (large-scale outbreak)
January–July 9, 1987 (total)
Location
Caused by
Goals
MethodsProtest marches and civil disobedience
Resulted in
Parties
Lead figures

Decentralized leadership

Number
4 – 5 million protestors[1]
89,000 police
100,000 soldiers
Casualties
Death(s)3[2]
June Democratic Struggle
Hangul
6월 민주 항쟁
Hanja
六月民主抗爭
Revised RomanizationYuwol Minju Hangjaeng
McCune–ReischauerYuwŏl Minju Hangjaeng

The June Democratic Struggle (Korean6월 민주 항쟁), also known as the June Democracy Movement and the June Uprising,[3] was a nationwide pro-democracy movement in South Korea that generated mass protests from June 10 to 29, 1987. The demonstrations forced the ruling government to hold direct presidential elections and institute other democratic reforms, which led to the establishment of the Sixth Republic, the present-day government of South Korea.

On June 10, the military regime of President Chun Doo-hwan announced its choice of Roh Tae-woo as the next president. The public designation of Chun's successor was seen as a final affront to a delayed and deferred process to revise the South Korean constitution to permit direct election of the president. Although pressure on the regime in the form of demonstrations by students and other groups had been building for some time, the announcement finally triggered massive and effective protests.[4]

Unwilling to resort to violence before the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul (which garnered large worldwide attention),[5] and believing that Roh could win competitive elections anyway given divisions within the opposition,[4] Chun and Roh acceded to the key demands of direct presidential elections and restoration of civil liberties. Although Roh was duly elected as president that December with a bare plurality, the consolidation of a liberal democratic regime in South Korea was underway.[6]

  1. ^ "6월항쟁 (六月抗爭)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  2. ^ Jameson, Sam (July 6, 1987). "Korea Student's Death Sparks Clash in Seoul : Police Disperse Demonstration With Tear Gas; Protesters Spurn Ruling Party's Condolences". LA Times. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  3. ^ Katsiaficas 2012, p. 277.
  4. ^ a b Adesnik, A. David; Kim, Sunhyuk (July 2008). "If At First You Don't Succeed: The Puzzle of South Korea's Democratic Transition" (PDF). CDDRL Working Papers (83). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 15, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  5. ^ Zimelis, Andris (September 2011). "Let the Games Begin: Politics of Olympic Games in Mexico and South Korea". India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs. 67 (3): 263–278. doi:10.1177/097492841106700305. ISSN 0974-9284. S2CID 154037349.
  6. ^ Paik, Nak-chung (June 4, 2007). "Democracy and Peace in Korea Twenty Years After June 1987: Where Are We Now, and Where Do We Go from Here?". The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus. 5 (6).