1980 Sabuk

Overview

In April 1980, a massive "disturbance" erupted in Sabuk, a town in Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province. Over 3,000 miners, pushed to the brink by relentless surveillance and exploitation, seized control of the area and clashed with authorities. A last-minute deal was struck, narrowly averting the deployment of martial law forces and a potential bloodbath. Nevertheless, the conflict resulted in numerous casualties. Even now, more than four decades later, the scars of this event remain deeply etched in the community's collective memory.