The May 18 Memorial Foundation is a non-profit organization established on August 30, 1994 by the surviving victims of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, the victims’ families, and the citizens of Gwangju with individual donations of Koreans both inside Korea and overseas to inherit and to commemorate the May 18 Spirit of persons who fought and sacrificed their lives during the May 18 Democratic Uprising.
The Foundation aims to commemorate the Spirit of struggle and the solidarity of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, to contribute to the peaceful reunification of Korea, and to work toward peace and human rights. The Spirit of the May 18 Democratic Uprising significantly influenced the progress of democracy in Korea. Ever since its establishment, it has been on the front-line working with experts in the fields of democracy, human rights, and peace.