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5.18 Freedom Hall
The 5.18 Freedom Hall (5.18자유관) is a museum and exhibition space within the 5.18 Freedom Park in Gwangju, dedicated to documenting the May 1980 Democracy Movement. The permanent collection presents photographs, video footage and contemporary documents that offer a direct account of citizens' lives and their resistance during the uprising. Opening hours and tickets are available upon visit to the venue.
Restored Military Court
The Restored Military Tribunal is a faithful reconstruction of the courtroom where citizens and students detained during the May 18th, 1980 Democracy Movement faced military trials. Inside, life-sized wax figures recreate scenes of interrogation, torture and trial experienced by those held. It's a sobering account of what those arrested endured, presented through detailed historical reconstruction rather than through interpretation.
Gwangju Prison
The Military Prison (영창) at Freedom Park is a meticulously reconstructed facility comprising six cells. It commemorates those detained during the May 18 Democratic Uprising of 1980, when arrested civilians were held here by military forces. Inside, life-sized wax figures depict scenes of torture and detention that prisoners endured. What to see includes the original cell layouts and historical exhibits documenting this significant period in Gwangju's history.
Military Police Barracks Lounge
The Military Police Barracks Recreation Room (헌병대 중대 내무반) is a reconstructed facility within the park that depicts the interrogation and torture space used during the May 18 Democratic Uprising of 1980. Life-sized wax figures recreate the coercive scenes endured by arrested citizens, serving as a sobering record of what detainees experienced during this pivotal moment in South Korean history. What to see here offers crucial insight into this significant historical period.
Military Police Canteen
The Military Police Canteen (헌병대 식당) stands as a restored structure within the 5.18 Freedom Park in Gwangju. Originally a dining facility, it served a darker purpose during the May 1980 uprising, when it was repurposed as a makeshift interrogation centre. What to see here is a sobering reminder of how the space was transformed into an instrument of state repression, now preserved as part of the park's historical narrative documenting this pivotal moment in Korean history.
Headquarters Office of the Military Police
The Central Military Police Office (헌병대 본부 사무실) served as a temporary operational headquarters for the Special Investigation Unit during the May 18 Democratic Uprising of 1980. From this location, interrogations of detainees were coordinated and military court proceedings were conducted. The office is now a significant historical site documenting this pivotal period in Gwangju's history and South Korea's struggle for democracy.
Deulbul Seven Martyrs Monument
The Deulbul Seven Martyrs Monument stands in the park gardens as a memorial to seven activists from the Deulbul night-school movement who died during the May 18th Democratic Uprising of 1980. The seven martyrs—Park Gi-soon, Yun Sang-won, Park Yong-jun, Park Gwan-hyeon, Shin Yeong-il, Kim Yeong-cheol and Park Hyo-seon—were central figures in Gwangju's student and worker resistance. What to see here is both a solemn tribute to their sacrifice and a powerful reminder of the city's pivotal role in South Korea's struggle for democracy.
- 1.5.18 Freedom Hall
- 2.Restored Military Court
- 3.Gwangju Prison
- 4.Military Police Barracks Lounge
- 5.Military Police Canteen
- 6.Headquarters Office of the Military Police
- 7.Deulbul Seven Martyrs Monument
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Kids version available with adapted and fun language for the little ones (17 min)
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