VOA标准英语2015--S. Korea Remembers Uprising That Started Its Democracy

S. Korea Remembers Uprising That Started Its Democracy

GWANGJU, SOUTH KOREA—

Thirty-five years ago this week in South Korea, protesters in the city of Gwangju staged a violent uprising against the country’s then military government, an act credited with starting the country’s democratic revolution.

At the time, demonstrators were angry after troops fired on a student demonstration¹, killing² and beating students. They seized weapons from armories³ and police stations, setting up an even bigger confrontation⁴.

Jeong Eee-haeng was caught up in the fight between protestors and the South Korean military. “I remember I was on my way to work on May 18, 1980 when soldiers were parachuted into the city," he said. "They started chasing me.”

The May 18 Memorial Foundation said at least 154 people were killed when soldiers retook the city from demonstrators who opposed South Korea’s military dictatorship.

Dozens more went missing and around 4,000 civilians⁵ were injured during the fighting that ended 9 days later.

At the time, Seoul labeled the uprising as pro-communist.

George Katsiaficas, author of Asia’s Unknown Uprisings, said that is one reason why some foreign powers, like the United States, did not condemn⁶ the crackdown.

“They were very much worried that a democracy in Korea, in South Korea, would mean a regime hostile to the United States,” he said.

Katsiaficas added that without the Gwangju uprising, South Korea would not be a democracy today.

But, he and other observers said they are worried about how the country is handling more recent protests.

In April, South Korean riot police forcibly put down a demonstration led by the families of those who died on the Sewol ferry, raising protests from groups supporting free speech such as Amnesty International.

Some participants of the Gwangju uprising, like Na Il-sung, said this and other recent incidents make their sacrifice seem in vain.

“It has been 35-years since our protest and we have made progress, South Korea is a democracy. But I feel some of this progress is now rolling back and it worries me as a survivor,” he said.

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

3 armories   

n.纹章( armory的名词复数 )；纹章学；兵工厂；军械库

参考例句：

• The armories were important in the World War II. 兵工厂在二战中是很重要的。 来自互联网
• Can only be used to open the door, such as churches and armories Colored door. 只能用来开门，例如血色的教堂和军械库的门。 来自互联网

4 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

5 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

6 condemn   

vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑

参考例句：

• Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他，而有些人谴责他。
• We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。