1987: When The Day Comes

 

In January 1987, a 22-year-old college student dies during a police interrogation. Under the orders of Director Park (Kim Yoon-seok), the police request the body to be cremated in order to destroy evidence. Public Prosecutor Choi (Ha Jung-woo), who was on duty on the day of the incident, denies the request and calls for an autopsy. The police maintain the lie that the death was a simple accident, resulting from shock. The autopsy results, however, point to torture as the cause of death. Yoon (Lee Hee-jun), a journalist following the case, reports that the death was a result of asphyxiation during torture. Director Park attempts to conceal the truth by ending the case, arresting two detectives including inspector Cho (Park Hee-soon). While in prison, inspector Cho reveals the truth to prison guard Han Byung-yong (Yoo Hai-jin), who embarks on a dangerous mission to relay the information to an opposition politician through his niece, Yeon-hee (Kim Tae-ri).

 

Release date: 2017

Director: Jang Joon-hwan

Cast: Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Yoo Hai-jin, Kim Tae-ri

Writer: Kim Kyung-chan

 

 

Torture and death of Park Jong-cheol

In the 1980s, many student activists in universities struggled against Chun Doo-hwan's dictatorship and the aftermath of the 1980 Gwangju Massacre. Park Jong-chol, the president of the student council in the linguistics department of Seoul National University, was one of those students. Detained during an investigation into such activities, Park refused to confess the whereabouts of one of his fellow activists. During the interrogation, authorities used waterboarding techniques to torture him, eventually leading to his death on 14 January 1987.

Information surrounding the events of Park Jong-chol's death was initially suppressed. However, the Catholic Priests Association for Justice (CPAJ), revealed the truth to the public on May 18, further inflaming public sentiment. CPAJ planned a June 10 demonstration in his honor.

 

Death of Lee Han-yeol

As demonstrations intensified, students in Yonsei University swore to take the field and demonstrated at the university on June 9. During the protest, Yonsei student Lee Han-yeol was seriously injured when a tear gas grenade penetrated his skull. In critical condition, he quickly became a symbol of the subsequent protests over the weeks that followed. He finally died of his wounds on July 5, after the regime had agreed to the people's demands. Over 1.6 million citizens participated in his national funeral, held on July 9. He was buried at May 18th National Cemetery.

 

The June Democratic Struggle (6월 민주항쟁 六月民主抗爭), also known as the June Democracy Movement  and June Democratic Uprising was a nationwide pro-democracy movement in South Korea that generated mass protests from June 10 to June 29, 1987. The demonstrations forced the ruling government to hold elections and institute other democratic reforms which led to the establishment of the Sixth Republic, the present-day government of South Korea.

Throughout this period, the labor movement, university students, and churches in particular joined in a mutually supporting alliance to put increasing pressure on the regime. This mobilized portion of civil society, in addition to the political opposition, formed the core of the resistance that would become generalized during the decisive events of June. Eventually, Roh Tae-woo issued the June 29 Declaration, capitulating to the demands of the protesters by promising to amend the Constitution and to release Kim Dae-jung.

 

 

거센 바람이 불어와서 어머님의 눈물이

가슴 속에 사무쳐 우는 갈라진 이 세상에

민중의 넋이 주인 되는 참 세상 자유 위하여

시퍼렇게 숨을 들어도 강물 저어 가리라

솔아 솔아 푸르른 솔아 샛바람에 떨지마라

창살 아래 내가 묶인 곳 살아서 만나리라

솔아 솔아 푸르른 솔아 샛바람에 떨지마라

창살 아래 내가 묶인 곳 살아서 만나리라

솔아 솔아 푸르른 솔아

창살 아래 내가 묶인 곳 살아서 만나리라

솔아 솔아 푸르른 솔아 샛바람에 떨지마라

창살 아래 내가 묶인 곳 살아서 만나리라

 

https://www.kdemo.or.kr/

https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/6%EC%9B%94_%EB%AF%BC%EC%A3%BC_%ED%95%AD%EC%9F%81

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Struggle

https://namu.wiki/w/6.10%20%EB%AF%BC%EC%A3%BC%20%ED%95%AD%EC%9F%81

https://www.610.or.kr/

https://koreabridge.net/post/610-democracy-movement-610-%eb%af%bc%ec%a3%bc%ed%95%ad%ec%9f%81-intraman