ILSAN – Chang Ki-pyo:Chang Ki-pyo, a noted figure in South Korea’s pro-democracy and labor movements in the 1970s, has died at the age of 78 due to gallbladder cancer. He passed away early Sunday morning at a hospital in Ilsan, a city just north of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chang’s family announced that he succumbed to his illness after a long fight. Born in 1945, Chang enrolled at Seoul National University in 1966. He began his activism in earnest in 1970, spurred by the self-immolation of fellow labor activist Jeon Tae-il. Jeon’s tragic death, a protest against the dire working conditions in a Seoul sewing factory, marked a pivotal moment in South Korean labor history.
Chang’s commitment to the causes he believed in led to a nine-year imprisonment under the stringent National Security Law, which was widely criticized for suppressing democratic freedoms. Despite the hardships he faced, including his time in jail, Chang notably refused any form of government compensation. In a 2019 interview,
he explained his decision, stating that his actions were part of his duty as a “citizen and an intellectual.”
Although Chang later ventured into politics, founding several minor political parties from 1989 onwards, he never served as a lawmaker. His life remained devoted to advocacy and education, influencing many in the labor and democratic movements.
President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed his condolences, recognizing Chang’s significant contributions to the nation’s democratic development. “Chang Ki-pyo was a true role model of the labor and democratization movement of our time. We will remember him,” said President Yoon, as conveyed by his spokesperson Jeong Hye-jeon.