[Walking Through Seoul] Where Are the Symbolic Sites of Seoul's Democratization History?

A History of Democratic Aspiration in Modern Korea
From Seoul Station, City Hall, and Myeongdong Cathedral
To Rallies Across the Old Downtown Within the Four Great Gates
Gwanghwamun Became the Center of Protests
Yet Records of Democratization Remain Limited
Mainly to Exhibits at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History
April 19 Memorial Hall and Others Stand Outside the Old City Center
Korean Democracy Was Achieved by Its Citizens
Commemoration Should Reflect the Role of the People

December 2024 began with President Yoon Suk-yeol declaring martial law and ended with the issuance of an arrest warrant charging him with treason. As soon as martial law was declared, citizens immediately gathered in front of the National Assembly to block the martial law troops from taking control of the parliament, and the National Assembly promptly passed a resolution to revoke the martial law. Subsequently, rallies demanding impeachment continued, and ten days later, the National Assembly finally passed the impeachment motion. It was a beautiful scene that clearly reflected the ingrained aspiration of Koreans for democracy. This added a very important moment to the history of Korean democracy.

The central location of this rally was in front of the Yeouido National Assembly building. This was the first time in history. In modern Korean history, venues for rallies to protect democracy were mainly in the old downtown area within the Four Great Gates of Seoul. Democratic rallies shouting for the overthrow of dictatorship in 1960, 1980, and 1987 took place almost throughout the old downtown of Seoul. The large-scale rally in front of Seoul Station in 1980 and the rallies at Myeongdong Cathedral and City Hall in 1987 remain historic scenes. Since university students were at the core, campuses of various universities also served as stages for rallies. Among the old urban spaces, Gwanghwamun was especially the central stage. It was not only spacious and conveniently accessible, but Gwanghwamun in front of the Blue House, where the president resides, was the center of rallies due to its symbolic significance.

Last December, citizens gathered at the Yeouido National Assembly building. Watching that scene, I suddenly recalled how the history so far has been commemorated in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea. I first looked for the answer to this question at Gwanghwamun. At the entrance of Gwanghwamun stands a statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, erected in 1968. To its left is a newly created park, and to the right is a road. In the middle of the park is a statue of King Sejong, built in 2009, and at the end of the park is the restored Gwanghwamun Gate, restored in 2010, with the Woldae (stone platform) restored in 2023 in front of it. There are no statues or even signboards commemorating Korea’s democratization history. The entire area commemorates the Joseon Dynasty era. Within the wide space of Gwanghwamun, records related to democratization history are limited to the permanent exhibition inside the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History.

On the 4th, near Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, participants held placards during the 5th Citizen March organized by the civic and social group "Emergency Action for the Immediate Resignation of President Yoon Seok-yeol and Social Reform." Photo by Yonhap News

What if you walk from Gwanghwamun to City Hall? You can still find relatively more guidance about democratization history here and there. For example, at the end of the road between Deoksugung Palace and the Anglican Cathedral, there is a bronze plaque titled “The roar of the June Citizens’ Uprising began here,” marking the site of the June 10 Uprising declaration. Entering Myeongdong, there is the “June Democratic Uprising Monument” commemorating the June 10 Democratic Uprising, hanging on the main gate of Hyangrin Church. Outside the old downtown, the National April 19 Democratic Cemetery and Memorial Hall commemorating democratization history are located at the foot of Bukhansan Mountain in Gangbuk-gu. The Lee Han-yeol Memorial opened in Sinchon in 2004. In fact, there are more monuments commemorating democratization history outside the old downtown than inside.

How about other countries? Let’s take London, Paris, and Washington D.C. as examples. Although London and Paris have very long imperial histories, they also have long histories of democratization. In London, after the Magna Carta was proclaimed in 1215, the parliament gradually developed to control the king’s power and took the form of today’s parliamentary democracy from the 19th century. The Palace of Westminster, located in the heart of London, is itself the greatest symbol of parliamentary democracy. In Parliament Square in front of it, statues of key figures in British democratization history, including Winston Churchill, have been erected. Not only that, but statues of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, South African President Nelson Mandela, and Indian independence activist Mahatma Gandhi?who played important roles in the world’s democratization history?have also been erected there.

The main stage of France, which began democracy with the French Revolution in 1789, was Paris. France started the revolution by storming the Bastille prison, demolished the building, and created Bastille Square. There, the “July Column” commemorating the 1830 revolution was erected. In the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower, the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen” monument commemorating the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution was built. Meanwhile, the city still retains imperial history with the Arc de Triomphe built by Napoleon at ?toile and the Luxor Obelisk from Egypt at Place de la Concorde.

Washington D.C., the capital of the United States, unlike the previous two cities, is a planned city for administrative purposes. At the center of the plan is the Capitol building symbolizing parliamentary democracy. However, the symbol of democratization history in this city is the Lincoln Memorial, built in 1922 at the end of the park in front of the Capitol. Although Lincoln abolished slavery through the war, strict institutional racial discrimination remained in the South. In 1963, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. appealed for democratization to 250,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial, leading the democratization of the South. This building, embodying the wills of President Lincoln and Reverend King, commemorates both hope and vulnerability of democracy.

From the examples of London, Paris, and Washington D.C., we can see that the ways to commemorate democratization history reflect the histories of each country and city. Since Korea and Seoul’s democratization history is different, it is important to reflect its characteristics well when commemorating it. What ways might there be?

If we consider the characteristics of Korean democratization history, it can be found in the fact that the democratization movements of 1960, 1980, and 1987 received broad and deep support throughout society and aimed to change regimes through elections. In other words, it was not just a reaction against forces blocking the popular will but the introduction of a free electoral system that could directly reflect the popular will. In other words, Korean democratization history is characterized by being created by citizens rather than led by specific individuals. Therefore, the way to commemorate it would be more fitting to celebrate the democratization movement, especially the aspirations and passion of citizens, rather than commemorating specific individuals. I would also like to add that commemorating history while protecting democracy should carry the message that this is a task for the present and the future. There can be various ways to commemorate, but symbolic places related to democratization history would have greater meaning. Seoul is not only the capital of the Joseon Dynasty. Now Seoul is the capital of a democratic nation where all power comes from the citizens. It is time to actively consider commemorations that fit this reality.

Robert Fauzer, Former Professor at Seoul National University