In another blow to S. Korea's fragile democracy, ruling party member says on the 40th anniversary of the #KwangjUprising, a protest-turned-massacre of protesters-turned-armed insurrection, he will introduce an amendment to the 2010 "Special 5.18 Democracy Movement Bill." Thread

The amendment criminalizes free speech, already restricted by rampant criminal defamation suits. It punishes those who "distort, slander, fabricate historical truth" or "defame pro-democracy person or agency" by up to 7 years in prison or W70M ($57,000) 2/ https://tinyurl.com/y75ojykk 

In illiberal S Korea today, "Criminal defamation actions can result in up to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine. The law focuses solely on whether what was said or written was in the public interest and does not allow for truth as a complete defense." 3/ https://tinyurl.com/ycj4xrld 

The amendment is to be 1st order of business for the Nat'l Assembly session to begin 5/30. Why? Because any criticism, questioning, revisionism pertaining to the "5.18" (May 18, 1980) crisis threatens SK's democracy? Hardly. Muzzling free speech does. And, those #US records. 4/

On May 14, @StateDept posted on its Freedom of Info Act site unredacted records on the Kwangju crisis, mostly dispatches from @USEmbassySeoul to State in 1980. I see nothing revelatory (new), but several cast doubt on the very premise of "5.18" as a "pro-democracy movement." 5/

Nowhere is the protest movement referred to as "democracy" or "pro-democracy movement." In fact, it is variously called "crisis," "riot," & often "insurrection." At times "insurrection" by "unidentified armed radicals who are talking of setting up a revolutionary government." 6/

5/21/80: "The massive insurrection in Kwangju is still out of control and poses an alarming situation for the ROK military who have not faced a similar internal threat for at least two decades. The immediate cause is obviously the extent to which the political crackdown..." 7/

"hit Kim Dae Jung and other natives of Cholla. But by now almost all elements of the population seem to be engaged in a violent provincial, free for all reflecting deep-seated historical, provincial antagonisms. At least 150,000 people are involved. There has been..." 8/

"great destruction and our most recent information is that the rioters have broken into armories and seized weapons, live ammunition, and demolitions." Records refer to "radical" rioters killing "moderate" rioters, police, holding "people's court" & carrying out "executions," 9/

the kinds of acts of extreme violence one does not associate with "pro-democracy movement." For example, if pro-democracy #HongKongProtesters, when fired upon by gov't troops, seized weapons & killed troops, police, each other & burned buildings, history may find a new label. /10

It's obviously any people's right to call 5.18 "pro-democracy movement," just as it is anyone's right to call it "insurrection," "rebellion" or "massacre." But to sanctify an event w a legal definition & make it inviolable by criminalizing any "distortion" of it, when clearly 11/

the very ethos & basic goal of "democracy--free speech & non-violent protest--stand on tenuous grounds both in the acts of May 1980 & its consecration 40 years later, the amendment is an assault on free speech & the currents of history that will only sow distrust & division. END