The Gwangju Uprising was a popular uprising in the city of Gwangju, South Korea, from May 18 to 27, 1980. It began as a protest against the dictatorship of President Chun Doo-hwan and the military government, and quickly grew into a demonstration for democracy and human rights. The uprising was violently suppressed by the South Korean military and the incident resulted in the deaths of hundreds of citizens.

The uprising began when students and workers led a protest against the military government on May 18th. The demonstration quickly spread throughout the city, with citizens joining in to demand democracy and human rights. The military responded with force, using tear gas, batons, and live ammunition to disperse the crowds. Over the next few days, clashes between protesters and the military escalated into a full-scale battle. On May 27th, the military declared martial law in Gwangju and sent in more troops to put down the rebellion. Despite this, protesters continued to resist until June 3rd, when martial law was finally lifted.