Gwangju Memorial Honors Police Chief Who Rejected 1980 Firing Order

A memorial ceremony was held in Gwangju on Saturday to honor Ahn Byung-ha, the senior police official remembered for refusing an order to fire on citizens during the May 18 Democratic Uprising of 1980.

The Ahn Byung-ha Memorial Association organized the event at the May 18 Democracy Movement Education Center in Seo-gu, marking the 38th anniversary of Ahn’s death. Around 30 people attended, including Ahn’s son Ahn Ho-jae, lawmakers Jung Jin-wook and Jung Jun-ho, and representatives of local civic groups.

The program opened with a performance by dancer Kim Yeon-woo and continued with remarks from the bereaved family and the memorial association. In his tribute, Ahn Ho-jae said his father was not the only officer who upheld his duty during the uprising. He said nearly 2,000 police officers in Gwangju protected their honor and professional responsibilities through personal sacrifice, and called for their conduct to be properly commemorated and carried forward.

A special lecture at this year’s ceremony examined what organizers described as distortions surrounding Ahn’s record. Lee Jae-ui, a former expert member of the May 18 Democratization Movement Truth Commission, delivered the lecture. Lawmaker Jung Jin-wook said he would consult the family and review possible legal action over alleged misrepresentations, drawing on materials collected by Lee and police reports.

Ahn was serving as chief of the South Jeolla Provincial Police Bureau, the predecessor of today’s South Jeolla Provincial Police Agency, when military authorities moved to suppress demonstrations in Gwangju in May 1980. He rejected directives for a harsh crackdown and refused an order to fire on demonstrators. He also assisted injured citizens and helped arrange support for them.

On May 26, 1980, Ahn was taken to the Joint Investigation Headquarters, where he was tortured. He lived with the resulting injuries and died on Oct. 10, 1988. His decision not to turn police weapons on citizens later became a prominent example of public service and professional conscience during one of the most consequential episodes in South Korea’s modern democratic history.

The National Police Agency selected Ahn as its Police Hero of the Year in 2017. He was also posthumously promoted by one rank, from senior superintendent general to chief superintendent general. Saturday’s ceremony placed his individual stand within the broader record of officers who resisted violence and sought to protect residents during the uprising.