Do You Know the 2·28 Democratic Movement? ... The Origin of 'Democratization' That Sprouted Democracy in Daegu

Over 1,700 Daegu High School Students Participated in 1960

Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk, Attends 62nd Anniversary Ceremony

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Are you familiar with the ‘2·28 Democratic Movement’?

There is a democratic resistance movement that preceded the ‘3·15 Uprising’ and the ‘4·19 Revolution,’ which are remembered as democratization movements in modern Korean history. This movement, which took place in Daegu, is considered the origin of the Korean democratization movement.

On the 28th, Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, paid respects at the 2·28 Democratic Movement Memorial Tower located in Duryu Park, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, and attended the 62nd anniversary ceremony of the 2·28 Democratic Movement held at the Daegu Culture and Arts Center.

The 2·28 Democratic Movement was the first democratic resistance movement after liberation, spontaneously initiated by about 1,700 students from eight schools in the Daegu area, including Gyeongbuk High School, in 1960.

It is known that a total of about 1,720 high school students from eight schools participated in the protest. These schools include Gyeongbuk High School, Gyeongbuk National University Affiliated High School, Gyeongbuk Girls' High School, Daegu High School, Daegu Technical High School, Daegu Agricultural High School (now Daegu Agricultural Meister High School), Daegu Commercial High School (now Daegu Sangwon High School), and Daegu Girls' High School.

Since 2016, Gyeongbuk Province has been promoting the designation of the movement as a national memorial day in cooperation with Daegu City, launching a petition campaign that year which gathered one million signatures.

On February 6, 2018, it was enacted and promulgated as a national memorial day to inherit the historical significance of the democratic movement, and this year marks the fifth year of the national government-hosted event.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk Province said, “The passionate patriotism and spirit of the times of the students in the Daegu area became the root that allowed the flowers of freedom and democracy to bloom on this land,” adding, “We will strive to inherit the challenge of the youth who longed for justice and freedom 60 years ago and their noble spirit of love for the country.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.