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 "Taxi Driver (2017)" and commemorated by the Hinzpeter International Reporting Award, administrated by the May 18 Memorial Foundation. During his reporting, Hinzpeter told the stories of activists 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.