The Shadow of the Gwangju Uprising in the Democratization of Korean Politics

The political legacies the Gwangju Uprising produced played a pivotal role in checking military intervention in politics during the democratic transition as well as in establishing the principle of civilian supremacy during the democratic transition period. By fostering a counter-ideology against the military regime, by expanding democratic forces, and by creating a new political structure that limited the choice of the authoritarian elites and the United States, the Gwangju Uprising had a decisive influence on democratic transition and consolidation in South Korea.