5·18 Archive Receives Donation of Audio Recordings Related to the May 1980 National Democratic Rally

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] The May 18 Democratic Movement Archives (hereinafter referred to as the May 18 Archives) announced on the 14th that it received a donation of audio tapes related to the National Democratic Rally held from May 14 to 16, 1980, from Mr. Jo Gyu-baek.

Comprising three audio tapes, this record includes speeches by martyr Park Gwan-hyeon, then president of the student council at Chonnam National University, vivid voices of students and citizens, and interviews with citizens.

Mr. Jo Gyu-baek was active as a student reporter at the Chonnam National University Broadcasting Station in May 1980 and directly recorded the content at Chonnam National University, the square in front of the Jeonnam Provincial Office, and downtown areas.

When Mr. Jo enlisted in the military in 1981, he asked an acquaintance to keep the tapes, but they were lost, and the whereabouts of the related records became unknown. Then, in December 2020, he was contacted by Mr. Park Young-jung, who saw media reports about the May 18-related news manuscript collection discovered at the Chonnam National University Broadcasting Station, and received the tapes.

Mr. Jo, with the cooperation of experts and Gwangju Munhwa Broadcasting (Gwangju MBC), verified the contents of the audio tapes, digitized them, and donated them to the May 18 Archives for preservation and management as important historical materials.

This record is evaluated as a valuable resource containing peaceful assemblies and speeches by students and citizens who hoped for and supported democracy.

The May 18 Archives collects and preserves records related to the May 18 Democratic Movement from citizens, and important materials have been disclosed through annotation and organization work.

The donated audio records will be made available on the archives’ website and provided as materials to the May 18 Truth Commission and others.

Jung Yong-hwa, director of the May 18 Archives, said, “It is fortunate that through these pre-May 18 audio records, the democratic and peaceful spirit of Gwangju and Jeonnam residents can be known to the entire nation even now, on the 41st anniversary,” adding, “I hope these records will help to some extent in revealing the truth of that time.”