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Chronology	Home > The May 18 Democratic Uprising > Chronology

May17
24:00 Total martial law takes effect.

May18
01:00 Martial troops are deployed to Gwangju.
10:20 First clash of students against paratrooper units at the front gate of Chonnam National University.

May19
08:00 The Martial Law Command arrests 549 nationwide.
09:00 Citizens demonstrate on Geumnam-ro until midnight.

May20
14:20 Some 150,000 citizens take to the streets centered around Jeonnam Provincial Hall.
18:20 Taxi drivers join the protests. Some 100 taxies drive toward the Provincial Hall in triple lines.
21:40 MBC Broadcasting Station is set on fire.
22:00 Protests continue throughout the night.

May21
00:45 Internal Revenue Service building is set on fire. Morning: The marital Law Command makes the first announcement of the bloody clash in Gwangju.
11:00 Some 300,000 citizens of Gwangju gather on Geumnam-ro.
12:00 Citizens of Gwangju, indignant about the broken promise of the Martial Law Command to withdraw, advance in cars toward Jeonnam Provincial Hall.
16:00 Martial troops withdraw from Gwangju.
17:00 The military and police withdraw from the Provincial Hall, and citizens occupy the Provincial Hall.

May22
12:00 Some 5,000 people hold a rally. The formation of the May 18 Settlement Committee is announced.
17:55 The Martial Law Command releases 848 arrested protesters.

May23
09:35 Student Settlement Committee is organized in the Provincial Hall.
15:00 The first citywide rally occurs at the Provincial Hall Square.

May24
08:00 Certain necessities run out citywide.
15:00 The second citywide rally occurs.

May24
05:00 Citizens Settlement Committee members lie on the street in front of tanks to protest against the advancement of the Martial Troops into town.
11:00 The 4th and 5th citywide rally occurs.
19:00 Foreigners withdraw from Gwangju.

May25
06:30 The Martial Law Command retakes the Provincial Hall