A nation that forgets its past has no future

A quote often attributed to Winston Churchill resonates powerfully with us today. It reminds us why we study history: to understand ourselves, our past, and our future. But why is it that a nation that forgets its past has no future?

Can the past help the present?

Can the dead save the living?

On October 10, 2024, writer Han Kang etched a new light in Korean history. She became the first Korean writer, and furthermore, the first Asian female writer, to be chosen by the Swedish Academy and receive the honor of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Could the Swedish Academy have foreseen this situation and selected the laureate? Just four days after the declaration of martial law, on December 7, she stood on the podium in Stockholm. Under the theme of “Light and Threads,” in a lecture exploring the violence within humanity, the writer reiterated questions she encountered in the darkness of history. Delving into Gwangju in May, those days stained with blood, she posed a weighty question. Can the past save the present? Can the dead save the living?

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[embed]The Nobel Prize in Literature 2024 The Nobel Prize in Literature 2024 was awarded to Han Kang "for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical…www.nobelprize.org

On the cold night of December 3, when the fate of the nation stood at a crossroads, the confrontation between citizens and martial law forces in front of the National Assembly answered these questions with a resounding “Yes.” What is our past, and who are the dead?

Citizens blocking martial law troops in front of the National Assembly

The Past and the Dead

Today, South Korea is a global powerhouse, known for K-pop, K-food, and its leading global corporations. Its economy ranks among the top ten in the world by GDP. But in 1945, when Korea gained independence from Japanese colonial rule, it was one of the poorest countries in the world. The path to prosperity was paved by the sweat and tears of countless ancestors, while its democratic progress was achieved through the blood and sacrifices of many. Yet, the scars of war and the tragedy of fratricidal conflict remain unhealed, serving as constant reminders of Korea’s divided reality.

Yeosu-Suncheon 10.19 Incident : source

The second major cause of martial law was war — specifically, the Korean War triggered by North Korea’s invasion in 1950. This conflict, which brought in the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and the United Nations, was nearly a third world war, lasting three years and resulting in millions of casualties on both sides.

[embed]Korean War - Wikipedia Korean War Part of the Cold War and the Korean conflict Date 25 June 1950 - 27 July 1953[b] (3 years, 1 month and 2…en.wikipedia.org

The majority of the remaining declarations of martial law, however, were driven by the desire to extend or seize power, often targeting the nation’s citizens. In 1960, Park Chung-hee staged the first military coup. To sustain his 18-year dictatorship, he dissolved parliament, amended the constitution, and nullified the separation of powers. After Park’s assassination, hopes for democracy in Seoul were crushed by another military regime led by Chun Doo-hwan, the figure at the center of the *Spring in Seoul *film mentioned earlier. As student protests demanding Chun’s resignation intensified, he imposed another martial law order, banning political activities, and unleashed military forces on civilians, leading to widespread killings and assaults. This tragedy, the Gwangju Uprising, became the subject of Han Kang’s literary exploration. Seven years later, the June Democracy Movement finally ended Chun’s regime.

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Personal Memories of a National Tragedy

As a child, I once stumbled upon an album at my cousin’s house. It contained photographs of the horrors of May 18, including a haunting image of a man crushed beneath a tank. That shock has never left me. Despite numerous attempts to bring Chun Doo-hwan to justice, he lived out his days in comfort, seemingly unrepentant. Yet, the collective efforts to hold him accountable and the memories of that massacre remain deeply ingrained in the Korean psyche.

Even in 2024, when President Yoon Suk-yeol issued another martial law decree, its inclusion of a clause banning political activities immediately triggered widespread resistance. Although Koreans under 50 did not directly experience the horrors of past martial law, society has made significant efforts to ensure that the atrocities are never forgotten. This collective past memory enabled citizens to respond instinctively and decisively.

Korea discount

From an outsider’s perspective, it may seem paradoxical that South Koreans, who barely flinch at North Korean missile launches, reacted so swiftly and fiercely to martial law. But perhaps this is because the greatest threat to Korea’s peace has not come from external forces, but from within. Our past reminds us of this truth: the real battle lies in preserving our democratic values and honoring the sacrifices of those who came before us.

The past, indeed, continues to save the present. The dead, in their own way, still guide the living.