Gwangju (Gwangju Metropolitan City)
Area: 501.24 km2
Population: 1,477,780 (2014)
The Gwangju Metropolitan City, also known as Kwangju, is the six largest city and birthplace of a modern democratic movement in Korea. It is divided into five districts - Buk, Dong, Gwangsan, Nam, and Seo; and under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister. Gwangju has a thriving youth and arts culture but is better known for the Gwangju Massacre (May 18, 1980), in which hundreds of students (over 200) were killed by army forces suppressing a pro-democracy demonstration. It is also famous for its rich and diverse cuisine, and the entire area is considered the breadbasket of Korea. Gwangju is a transportation junction of southwestern Korea. It connects with Seoul to the north and Pusan (Busan) to the east by air, rail, and road. The city also has the largest and most modern bus terminal and possibly the largest single pedestrian drinking, dining and clubbing district in the South Korea