This guide assists researchers to navigate South Korea's major democratization movements spanning the 1960s to the 1980s. Primarily focused on the Minjuhwa Undong (South Korean democratization movement) Collection within the Asian Division's Korean Rare Book Collection, it outlines the contents of the Collection and provides lists of notables, organizations, and terminologies appearing in the Collection to help researchers optimize their use of these materials. In addition to the Minjuhwa Undong Collection, this guide offers an overview of books, manuscripts, and periodicals that delve into the pivotal historical events in the trajectory of the South Korean democratization movement. On each page you will find listings of primary and secondary sources in Korean and English, periodicals, and links to external sources.

The South Korean democratization movement is broadly defined as activities that resisted authoritarian rule, which violated the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution since the establishment of the Republic of Korea in 1948. It was marked by resilient efforts to restore and significantly improve the freedom and rights of the people. The movement encompassed diverse activities with the goal of securing the nation's autonomy and fostering unification beyond the ideological divides of the Cold War system. It also involved arduous struggles for survival and the pursuit of an improved quality of life for the South Korean people. As such, the categories of the South Korean democratization movement are diverse. This research guide places particular emphasis on the most iconic anti-authoritarian democratization movements, spanning from the 1960s to the 1980s, within the broader spectrum of democratization movements.

Over three decades, the democratization movement evolved, displaying both continuity and shifts in its characteristics, progress, and objectives. Meanwhile, during South Korea's struggle for democracy, the concept of minjung gained profound historical significance, emerging as a powerful force in driving historical progress toward democracy in South Korea. Representing a broader alliance of students, intellectuals, religious leaders, workers, and opposition politicians, minjung became the embodiment of the counterhegemonic resistance against authoritarian regimes. Thus, the minjung movement became synonymous with the broader democratization movement.

The constant resistance of minjung to authoritarian regimes that violated citizens' fundamental political rights remained a prominent focus. The overarching purpose was to restore the people's freedom and rights. Various anti-authoritarian democratization movements were the driving force behind the establishment of parliamentary democracy in 1987, following four decades of authoritarian dictatorship. Scholarship generally recognizes key events as critical moments in the course of the South Korean democratization movement. These include the April 19 Revolution of 1960, encompassing mass demonstrations before the revolution and the ensuing unification movement. Other significant events involve the movement against the Korea-Japan Talks and the Constitutional Amendment for a Third Presidential Term in the 1960s, the anti-Yusin and democratization movement during the Park Chung Hee era, the Kwangju Uprising of 1980, and the June Uprising of 1987. These milestones collectively highlight South Korea's dynamic progress toward democratization. This research guide will focus on these six major democratization movements.

In this research guide, all Korean names and terms are presented using the McCune-Reischauer romanization system. However, for well-known historical and cultural figures—such as Park Chung Hee—whose names are widely recognized in English with alternative spellings, this guide uses these familiar versions while also providing the McCune-Reischauer romanization in parentheses to ensure accuracy and consistency.

Please see the Asian Division's Korean collection overview for additional resources and information.