When I was young, my textbooks at schools involved that democratic values such as freedom and equality had not been achieved through mercies of kings and the upper class; Democracy have been built by our painful struggles and endeavors.
  Historically speaking, the people throughout the 18th century were mostly not true citizens; they were under the control of the king who reigns over them. Taxes, obligatory labors, military service and so on were forcibly to become their duties since kings and the upper class had been considered the hosts of them. But, along with the spread of philosophy of enlightenment and the Nature Law, the 18th century saw a new movement spread its wings led by the people under the name of Democracy . For their freedom to speak, to gather, to vote, and to live as humans, the commons used to attack a series of prisons, courts, and palaces, which had been recognized as powers. Even when soldiers fired and arrested them for the peacebreaking and rude challenge on the class system, their voice gradually went up with the hope that they will be hosts of the new era.
  And, about 200 years later, like those who had gathered in France and the U.S., people in a small-sized peninsula came out at a place which their offsprings will call the shrine of democracy . They fought against a dictator who destroyed our democracy and ordered the army to fire in case of movement led by people. However, while the city was surrounded by national soldiers and tanks as well as remained so without any outer information and food supply during a few days, their passion to freedom and equality for a better future did not settle down. And after the horrible sup pression committed by the dictator, the history concluded it s an obvious democratic movement against the dictatorship and struggle for getting the true democracy.
  Just remember those who sacrificed for a better future, a future that can ensure us to enjoy citizenship. Just as our ancestors had fought against the Japanese Empire for future generations who will live in a liberated nation, Gwang-ju people at that time sacrificed their breath for a better society that will prevent that kind of tragedy from recurring anymore. We need to reconsider the importance the movement has in our history because we are not a collection of individuals; we are one as a whole.

Kim Dae Hoon (English Edu 3rd)