June Democratic Struggle

The June Democratic Struggle was a massive pro-democracy movement in South Korea. It took place from June 10 to June 29, 1987. This movement was a nationwide effort to change how the country was governed. Before this, South Korea was ruled by an authoritarian regime. This meant the government held most of the power and limited political freedoms. The protests eventually forced the government to allow direct presidential elections. This change led to the Sixth Republic, which is the current government of South Korea.

To understand the struggle, one must look at the previous electoral system. Since 1972, under the Yushin Constitution, presidents were not elected by the people. Instead, they were chosen indirectly by the National Conference for Unification. This was an electoral college that the ruling regime largely hand-picked. Because of this, the system did not provide a democratic check on presidential power. Even after President Park Chung-hee was assassinated in 1979, this indirect system continued. Later, General Chun Doo-hwan took power following a coup d'état in December 1979.

Public frustration grew as the regime tried to maintain control. In 1985, President Chun held parliamentary elections to create a veneer of democracy. Although the ruling party lost only two mandates, the opposition saw it as a moral victory. Leaders like Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam pushed for direct elections. Chun responded by delaying and deferring constitutional changes. In April 1987, Chun suspended a parliamentary committee debating these changes. He claimed he needed "national unity" for the upcoming 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. This decision increased anti-government sentiment across the country.

Several tragic events acted as catalysts for the uprising. In January 1987, a student named Park Jong-chul died during police interrogation. Authorities used waterboarding, a technique involving water, which led to his death by asphyxiation. Although the government tried to cover up the details, the Catholic Priests Association for Justice revealed the truth. This angered the public significantly. Later, on June 9, a student named Lee Han-yeol was severely injured by a tear gas grenade. A famous photograph of him being carried away made him a symbol of the movement.

The decisive protests began on June 10, 1987. This was the same day the government announced Roh Tae-woo as Chun's successor. The National Coalition for a Democratic Constitution, known as the Guk-bon, organized mass demonstrations. Protests occurred in 18 different cities across the country. In Seoul, police attacked students near City Hall. Many students fled to the Myeongdong Cathedral for safety. Cardinal Kim Su-hwan, the Archbishop of Seoul, protected the protesters by stating priests would stand on the front lines.

The movement was unique because of its massive, diverse participation. Earlier protests were mostly led by students and political groups. However, the June protests included people from all social standings. White-collar workers joined the crowds, earning the nickname "necktie brigade" because of their work attire. On June 18, an estimated 1.5 million people took to the streets. In Busan alone, 300,000 demonstrators filled the city center. Protests were held in 247 locations across 16 cities. The scale of the unrest made it difficult for the police to maintain order.

Ultimately, the government chose to concede rather than use large-scale violence. They feared that violence would cause international criticism, especially with the Olympics approaching. They also believed Roh Tae-woo could win a fair election because the opposition was divided. The regime accepted the demands for direct elections and increased civil liberties. In December 1987, Roh Tae-woo was elected president with 36 percent of the vote. While the transition was a beginning, the full consolidation of liberal democracy continued through the 1990s.