Gwangju, South Korea – On December 19th, a commemorative Mass was held at Pungamunri Catholic Church in Gwangju to honor the late Kim Sa-bok, the real-life inspiration behind the movie "A Taxi Driver." The Mass marked the 40th anniversary of Kim's passing and was the first official memorial service for the taxi driver who played a pivotal role in bringing the Gwangju Democratization Movement to the world's attention.
Kim Sa-bok, a devout Catholic, agreed to transport Jürgen Hinzpeter, a German journalist, into the city of Gwangju during the tumultuous events of May 18, 1980. The footage captured by Hinzpeter, thanks to Kim's bravery, became a crucial piece of evidence exposing the brutality of the military crackdown on civilian protesters.
In his homily, Fr. Kim Sun-ung described Kim Sa-bok as a "Good Samaritan" who risked his life to expose the truth. He emphasized the significance of Kim's actions in the broader context of South Korea's struggle for democracy. "The Gwangju Democratization Movement may be a painful memory for us, but it served as a foundation for our democracy, as evidenced by the recent impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol," Fr. Kim said.
Following the Mass, Kim's family and mourners visited the National 5.18 Democratic Cemetery to pay their respects at the memorials of Moon Jae-hak, the real-life inspiration for Han Kang's novel "The Vegetarian," and Jürgen Hinzpeter.
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