From Gwangju to Khartoum: Feminist Legacies of Uprisings

Jeong Kyung-woon, Reem Abbas, Huiyeon Choi

October 31, 2020
11am–12.30pm CET / 6–7.30pm KST

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Rooted in feminist values of liberation and social justice, this panel seeks to highlight women’s role in civic movements in Sudan and South Korea. Specialized in oral histories of modern and contemporary history of Korea, academic Jeong Kyung-woon reflects on the testimonies of women who participated in the Gwangju 5.18 Uprising, especially how the memory of their struggles has unfolded. Journalist Reem Abbas discusses the pivotal role of women in the recent political reforms in Sudan, as well as her commitment to chronicle gender issues, press freedom, and human rights in her home country. Activist Huiyeon Choi offers a contemporary reading of feminist strategies in South Korea through street broadcasting, student and labor movements, and advocacy tools for gender equality.

Jeong Kyung-woon is a professor at Graduate School of Culture, Chonnam National University. She graduated from Chonnam National University, and holds a doctoral degree in Korean language and Literature. Her teaching focuses on mythology, semiotics, and arts education. Her studies and research address oral cultures in the modern and contemporary history of Korea, and women-led struggles and strategies in the May 18 Democratic Uprising in Gwangju. Kyung-woon has published “Lives of Gwangju Women and May 18 Democratic Uprising”, “Borders of Communities,” among other publications and resources.

Reem Abbas is a journalist, blogger, writer and researcher. Her blog on human rights, culture and politics in Sudan won the 2011 Blogher International Activist Award. Her writings and socio-political commentary were published in numerous publications, including Democracy Now! and Al Jazeera. She also spent years working with Sudanese refugees in Egypt and published a profile on a young refugee musician in the book “Voices in Refuge: Stories from Sudanese Refugees in Cairo” published by the American University in Cairo Press. She is currently working on a book on the cultural scene and the Sudanese revolution in collaboration with Andariya, a cultural platform based in the region.

Huiyeon Choi is the representative of Gwangju Women Link and a feminist, working under the name ‘Mongsil,’ and has been a core member of women’s organizations as an activist for over twenty years. Choi mainly engages in anti-sexual discrimination, anti-sexual violence, and community-led educational activities. She is also an amateur actor in a local theater group. Currently, Choi is committed to presenting in-depth opinions and coverage on local issues from a gender perspective and striving to build a theoretical foundation to update the curricula of women’s studies as a feminist activist.