Military boot found hanging near May 18 democracy movement sign in Gwangju

A single military boot was found hanging from a sign related to the May 18 Gwangju Democracy Movement in downtown Gwangju. City officials and the May 18 Memorial Foundation retrieved the boot and are working to determine how it got there.

According to Gwangju city and the May 18 Memorial Foundation on Tuesday, authorities received a report that a military boot had been found hanging from a sign on a utility pole at an intersection near Kwangju Bank's main branch in Daein-dong, Dong-gu.

The sign marks the Owol-gil walking trail near the site of the former Gwangju intercity bus terminal, designated May 18 historic site No. 3.

City officials went to the scene and retrieved the boot.

Gwangju city and the May 18 Memorial Foundation are investigating who placed the boot there and why.

Authorities are also examining whether the act was intended to mock the May 18 uprising, given that military boots evoke memories of the martial law troops deployed during the crackdown in May 1980.

The investigation comes amid a string of controversies over perceived mockery of the May 18 movement, including Starbucks' "Tank Day" promotion and a high school baseball team's "Let's go to Starbucks" cheer. If intent is confirmed, officials plan to refer the case to police for a formal investigation.

"We are assessing whether the act constitutes a criminal offense," a May 18 Memorial Foundation official said. "If our investigation finds evidence of criminal conduct or a clear intent to demean, we will formally request a police investigation."