YOON SANG-WON
Born in 1950 at the Imgokcheondong Village in Gwangsan-gun, Jeollanam-do, which now became a part of Gwangju Metropolitan City, Yoon Sang-Won graduated from Salesio High School and enters Chonnam National University, Department of Political Science and Diplomacy. After being discharged from the military duty in 1975, he sees the reality of Korean society groaning under the Yushin dictatorship. He began the active labor movement after the college graduation, dreaming of a better world while live through the field of labor and teaching students at the Wild Fire Night School. When the citizens’ uprising broke out in May 1980 Gwangju, he got together with labor movement colleague Kim Sang-Jip in fighting against paratroopers by creating Molotov cocktail and the Fighter’s Bulletin. After the massive shooting was fired towards the citizens on May 21, he became the spokesperson of the citizen militia and held a foreign press conference to reveal the truth of the massacre to the world. As the spokesman, he rearmed the university students and reserved forces to form a Democratic Struggle Committee, after overcoming the conflict between two ideas ‘disarm and open for negotiations’ and ‘arm and deadly struggle.’ And on the early morning of May 27th, he dies while leading the desperate defensive fight.
Record of the 10 Days of yoon sang-won
Sunday, May 18. Clear Sky
– Recognized the 5.17 martial law expansion measures.
– Park Kwan-Hyun, the student president of the Jeonnam National University, came to Gwangcheon-dong seeking for ways to deal with the situation.
– Began to protest nearby the Chonnam National University.
– Produced Molotov cocktail at Nokdu bookstore with Kim Sang-Jip and distributed at the site of protest.
Tuesday, May 20. Drizzle in the Morning.
– produced flyers in the form of declaration or exclamation, and distributed at the site of citizen struggle in the city.
– After participating the site of protest in Gyerim-dong with Park Hyo-Seon, produced and distributed the handouts at the nearby printing houses.
Wednesday, May 21. Clear Sky.
– Produced and distributed the ‘Message of Indignation by the Citizens of Jeollanam-do, the Depender of Democracy’ at the site of city protest.
– Discussed the struggling situation and counter measures at the Nokdu Bookstore with Kim Sang-Jip, Park Hyo-Seon, Jeong Sang-Yong, Lee Yang-Hyun, Jeong Hae-Jik, and Yoon Kang-Ok.
– Produced and distributed the first eidition of the Fighters’ Bulletin with Jeon Yong-ho at the Wide Fire Night School in Gwangcheon-dong.
– Citizen militia develop fully armed street fight after the organizational firing of the martial law army. Paratroopers withdrew.
Thursday, May 22. Clear Sky.
– Distributed the Fighters’ Bulletin in the direction of Nongseong-dong, riding an armed jeep with his brother.
– Together with Yoon Kang-Ok and Park Hyo-Seon, entered the Provincial Office building controlled by the citizen militia and delivered the will to fight to the Kim Chang-Gil, the student president.
– Hold the indignation meeting every day with Park Hyo-Seon, Yoon Kang-Ok, and Kim Sang-Jip, discussing the ways to strengthen publicity campaign, tightening the activists groups, and the participation of the citizen militia.
Friday, May 23. Clear Sky with Cloud
– Citizen Publicity. (Provincial Office, Nokdu bookstore, Gwangju YWCA, indignation meeting space in front of the Provincial Office.)
– Contacted the leader of Provincial Office as well as the armed citizen militia.
– Held evaluation meeting for indignation meetings at YWCA. Install and operate college student gathering station.
– Continually held indignation meetings, contacted leaders, systematized the student labor movement committee, and discussed entry of the Provincial Office.
Saturday, May 24. Rain in the Afternoon.
– Production Team for the Fighters’ Bulletin moved from Gwangcheon-dong to YWCA Production Office.
– Visits the Provincial Office time to time to discuss with the struggle committee.
– Held 2nd indignation meeting.
– Evaluation meeting for the indignation meeting, organize the division of the committee, and discussed future measures at YWCA.
– Prepared for the defense of the Provincial Office and held indignation meeting.
Sunday, May 25. Raining
– Opposed to disarm while forming a comrade within the Provincial Office such as Park Nam-Seon.
– Held 3rd indignation meeting.
– From the YWCA college student gathering station, led 100 college student to the Provincial Office and deployed as armed guards.
– Formed Democratic Struggle Committee after the meeting at the Director’s Office on the 3rd floor. (Chairman Kim Jong-Bae, Spokesman Yoon Sang-Won)
Monday, May 26. Rained a little in the morning.
– Began the martial law forces suppression operation, leaders forced the ‘Death March’ and suppression forces retreated
– held 4th indignation meeting and wen ton the city protest to stand against the entry of martial law forces.
– held press conference with about 10 foreign reporters as spokesperson at the Provincial Office.
– Yoon Sang-Won and Park Nam-Seon joined the meeting and gave a speech for 30 minutes opposing the returning of weapons, thereby overturning the vote.
Tuesday, May 27th. Clear Sky.
– 1 AM. strategically placed the armed citizen militia to cope with the deployment of martial law forces.
– Distributed the weapons in front of the armory and gives his last speech urging to fight until the very last moment.
– Encountered for the last time the students of Wild Fire Night School, Na Myeong-Kwan, and Shin Byeong-Kwan who had come out to receive the weapon.
– Entered the Public Affairs Office on the second floor of the Provincial Office with numerous citizen militia including Lee Yang-Hyun and Kim Young-Cheol, and defended behind the window towards the Labor Administration.
– 4 AM. Died of a gunshot wound to the stomach, hit by the paratrooper who had climbed over the back wall.
– Body is placed on a blanket at the conference room of the Provincial Office.
– Was considered unidentified holding a business card of the foreign reporter, and when the body was revealed the upper body was all burnt.
June 22.
– is identified by the family and is officially buried.