E2024-G096

Journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter: Showing the May 18 Democratic Uprising to the World

Narrative

In May 1980, Jürgen Hinzpeter (1937-2016), a German journalist with ARD Broadcasting, became a crucial figure in documenting the May 18 Democratic Uprising in Gwangju, South Korea. This event was marked by the citizens’ defiance against martial law imposed by a new military regime. Hinzpeter, influenced by Paul Courtright (1954-), who had shared the uprising’s harsh realities, bravely filmed from rooftops. His efforts ensured that the international community saw the truth of the Gwangju struggle for democracy. His story and role in this event are depicted in the film Taeksi unjeonsa (A Taxi Driver) and commemorated by the international Hinzpeter Awards for video journalists, administrated by the May 18 Memorial Foundation. During his reporting, Hinzpeter told the stories of activists such as Kim Dae-jung (1924-2009) and Kim Young-sam (1929-2015), who later went on to become South Korean presidents. Through the documentary Pureun nun ui mokgyeokja (Blue-eyed Witness) (2018), Hinzpeter’s story and the May 18 Democratic Uprising remain etched in history—a testament to the power of truth and the indomitable spirit of those who dare to tell it.

Resources

type	resource	title	description/caption	URL
해설	Hinzpeter Awards	Hinzpeter Awards		https://www.hinzpeterawards.com/

Story Map

• Global Witnesses: Foreign Eyes on Gwangju’s Struggle
  • Tales from the Outside: Foreign Witnesses’ Accounts of the May 18 Democratic Uprising
  • Journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter: Showing the May 18 Democratic Uprising to the World
  • Japanese Artist Tomiyama Taeko: A Voice Against Imperialism
  • Zainichi Collector of Minjung Art and More: Ha Jung-woong