The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights is an award given by the

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

n May 18 Memorial Foundation to recognize "individuals, groups or institutions in Korea and abroad that have contributed in promoting and advancing human rights, democracy and peace through their work." The award is intended to commemorate the spirit of the May 1980

Gwangju Democratization Movement The Gwangju Uprising was a popular uprising in the city of Gwangju, South Korea, from May 18 to May 27, 1980, which pitted local, armed citizens against soldiers and police of the South Korean government. The event is sometimes called 5·18 (Ma ...

(also known as "518" for its 18 May start), in which pro-democracy citizens battled soldiers in protest of the military reign of

Chun Doo-hwan Chun Doo-hwan (; or ; 18 January 1931 – 23 November 2021) was a South Korean army general and military dictator who ruled as an unelected strongman from 1979 to 1980 before replacing Choi Kyu-hah as president of South Korea from 1980 to 198 ...

. As the organization's website explains, "Gwangju received valuable help from others while undertaking the struggle to examine the truth behind the May 18 uprising, and while striving to develop true democracy. In response, we would like to give something back to those who supported our cause for peace and democracy." As of 2011, the prize carried a cash award of US$50,000. On 18 December 2018, the May 18 Memorial Foundation announced its cancellation of Suu Kyi's award due to her inaction in ceasing the inhumane acts and human rights atrocities against the Rohingya people.

List of Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Laureates

References

{{Footer Gwangju Prize for Human Rights laureates Free expression awards Awards established in 2000 Gwangju Uprising

List of Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Laureates

See also

References