Gwangju or Kwangju
[key], city, metropolitan city located in but independent of South Jeolla
(Cholla) prov., SW South Korea, in the Yeongsan (Yongsan) River lowland. A
regional agricultural and commercial center built on the site of an ancient
market, Gwangju has rice mills and industries that produce automobiles,
textiles, and beer. The city is also a railway, road, and air hub. In the
hills around Gwangju are ancient tombs and temples. In 1980 demonstrators
protesting martial law briefly seized control of the city; the ensuing
massacre of the protestors by government forces was a factor in the toppling
of Choi Kyu-hah's government by General Chun Doo Hwan. Gwangju was formerly
the capital of South Jeolla prov.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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