Gen. Chun Doo Whan's coup succeeds. Gen. Roh Tae Woo, Chun's friend and commander of the 9th Army Division, mobilizes his troops stationed in a border area north of Seoul to the capital city at Chun Doo Whan's request in order to counter pro-government forces. The SWC Commander Chung Byung Joo is shot by the rebels for refusing to participate in the coup. Chun Doo Whan bans all political meetings, dissolves the Korean National Assembly. Martial law is extended throughout S Korea.
City police are unable to control the crowd.
The paratroopers shoot into the crowd and kill a large number of people. Some 10,000 people demonstrate in Kwangju against the military. After light skirmishes, the army put down the revolt in less than two hours. The army arrest 1,740 rioters, of whom 730 are detained for investigation. Having suppressed the Kwangju uprising with brute force, Gen. Chun Doo Hwan further tightened his grip on the government.