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The film Seoul's Spring, which has surpassed 15 million cumulative viewers, explores the historical facts and creative boundaries of the 1979 December 12th military coup with exceptional craftsmanship. It sheds light on the intersection of democracy and history from various perspectives. The film not only provides cinematic enjoyment through the portrayal of moral conflicts, tense situations, and heroic narratives but also plays a significant role in revealing the specific details of the December 12th incident for the first time. This article aims to accurately depict the facts and events of the 1979 December 12th military coup as portrayed in the movie Seoul's Spring and explain how the work intersects with history.
On December 12, 1979, South Korea experienced a military insurrection led by "Hana-hoe”, a secret inner circle within the army, founded by General Chun Doo-hwan, the security commander at the time. The event became known as the '12.12 Incident.' Starting with dissatisfaction towards the government and the emergence of the democracy movement, the riot lasted for 9 hours. After the success of the military coup, the new military government quickly seized power. Chun Doo-hwan ascended from a general to the president, and Roh Tae-woo also rose from a general to the president. Many members of the new military government who participated in the December 12th coup took key positions. Additionally, the success of the coup inaugurated the new military government to declare a state of national emergency. Afterward, the success of the coup inaugurated the new military government, leading to the declaration of a state of national emergency. Military forces were deployed for civilian security operations, martial law was imposed, media control was tightened, democratic institutions were suspended, and the country reverted to military rule. Deploy military forces for civilian security operations, impose martial law, control the media, suspend democratic institutions, and revert to military rule. In response, many citizens and politicians engaged in resistance, leading to the nationwide expansion of martial law on May 17, 1980, which eventually led to the May 18 Democratic Movement.
Although the December 12th coup was legitimized by the ruling authorities from 1980 to the early 1990s, the civilian government under Kim Young-sam later classified it as a coup d'état Illegally orchestrated by the military. In 1995, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo were prosecuted for their involvement in the December 12th coup, bribery, and corruption, and were sentenced to prison and fines in 1997. However, they were pardoned in the same year. The families of the victims have struggled for justice and honor over the years, with unresolved issues regarding compensation and reputation restoration.
Seoul's Spring reexamines these historical facts related to the December 12th incident. Although democracy has strengthened over time, the pain experienced by the victims and their families during that period remains. The portrayal of the December 12th incident in this movie serves as a poignant reminder of the values of freedom and democracy, urging people not to forget history and to strive for a better future, evoking a genuine sense of spring for the years to come. < Copyright © The Gachon Herald All rights reserved > |
