With a Burning Thirst is the title poem of Kim Chi-ha’s second collection of poetry. This collection was published in 1982, after he was released from prison.

This volume presents Kim’s criticism of President Park Chung Hee’s and his successor President Chun Du Hwan’s military dictatorships and cries out for democracy. Like his predecessor Park, President Chun acquired power through a coup d’état and ruled with a firm hand. Many intellectuals who had been hoping for a democratic government after the death of President Park were stunned by Chun’s suppression of the Kwangju students’ protest demonstration in 1980. Many students and citizens were killed by national guardsmen, and the expected dawn of democracy seemed shrouded again by the black cloud of iron dictatorship.

Kim, who had already made an announcement regarding his conscience, saying, “What I ask and fight for is absolute democracy, complete freedom of speech—nothing less, nothing more,” is crying out here for democracy after witnessing yet another dictator take power.

As an intellectual who had been fighting for democracy, Kim testifies to the stifling political reality in which people have to write the word democracy surreptitiously on a wooden picket in an alley. Kim also expresses grief at the situation in which fighters are arrested and beaten by policemen and national guardsmen while many citizens watch helplessly as the bleeding bodies are dragged past and notice the phrase “Viva Democracy!” written on a picket deserted on the road.

Kim calls for freedom “with a burning thirst” and shouts “Viva Democracy!”

This poem surely reveals Kim’s constant determination not to be weakened after excruciating pain and torture, and at the same time it expresses his zeal to inspire millions of Korean citizens to hold on to their hopes for democracy and ultimate freedom despite the bludgeons of tyrants.