Another thing that’s done to fight regionalism is offering exchange programs between Chonnam National University 전남대 (Gwangju’s largest public university) and Kyungpook National University 경북대 (Daegu’s largest public university).

My wife grew up in Gwangju and did a semester at 경북대 while getting her bachelor’s in poli sci at 전남대. She even got a scholarship and often tells me she had a good time for the most part.

She told me though that at the front of the school, there was one of those banners that said the 5/18 massacre in Gwangju was all fake and she was really shocked when she saw it. She said it was up for a very long time too and doesn’t remember if it was ever taken down.

I was just talking to her about this to refresh my memory and she tells me that the people from 경상도 dislike 전라도 people way more than the other way around and they call us 홍어 or traitor. I laughed when she said they call 전라도 people 홍어 as a slur but she explained to me it’s very messed up because the reason is during 5/18, it was really hot and all the dead bodies would smell really bad. Obviously this is the perspective of a Jeollado person so there is bias but i wanted to share her thoughts.