We often forget the many rights we possess, without realizing that they were won through history and sacrifice rather than simply given. Most of the time, we tend to take these rights for granted in daily life.

While reading the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, the country where I was born, several passages made me reflect on how fully I am able to live and enjoy these freedoms because of Korea’s past history. In particular, I was reminded of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising of May 18, 1980, often referred to as the “5.18 Gwangju Uprising” (5.18 광주민주화운동). At that time, South Korea was under military rule, and citizens lived under political oppression. The uprising became a turning point in Korea’s path toward democracy, shaping the country people know today.

This piece, The Right to Pursue Happiness, reflects on the rights and freedoms that people in Korea are able to live with today after the Gwangju Uprising. It is both a recognition of those hard-won freedoms and a reminder not to take them for granted.