One military boot found on a sign for Gwangju's 'May Road'... authorities investigate whether it was meant as a slight
- Input
- 2026-07-01 06:38:23
- Updated
- 2026-07-01 06:38:23
[Financial News] Authorities have begun investigating after a military boot was found hanging from a signboard related to the May 18 Democratic Uprising in downtown Gwangju.
As controversy has recently continued over expressions and marketing that evoke the May 18 Democratic Uprising, authorities are closely examining whether this was merely a prank or an attempt to distort or mock the uprising.
According to Gwangju Metropolitan City and the 5·18 Memorial Foundation on the 30th of last month, a report was received that a military boot had been hung on a May 18-related signboard installed on a utility pole at an intersection near the Gwangju Bank Headquarters in Daein-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju.
The signboard where the boot was hung is a facility that guides visitors to May Road, which was developed near the former Gwangju Intercity Bus Terminal, the No. 3 May 18 Historic Site. After confirming the scene, the relevant authorities began verifying the facts, including intent, noting that the use of a military boot could symbolically evoke martial law troops.
Gwangju Metropolitan City and the 5·18 Memorial Foundation are also paying attention to the fact that controversies surrounding the May 18 Democratic Uprising have recently continued.
After a series of suspected cases of disparagement, including Starbucks Korea's so-called 'Tank Day' event and a high school baseball team's cheer slogan, 'Let's go to Starbucks,' authorities are not ruling out the possibility that this incident was also intentional rather than a simple coincidence.
If the investigation finds that the act was intended to distort, deny, or mock the May 18 Democratic Uprising, authorities plan to consider requesting a police investigation.
Park Kang-bae, executive director of the 5·18 Memorial Foundation, said, "We will carefully verify the facts first and then determine whether there was an intent to distort or deny May 18."
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter