After Park Chung-hee's death, his temporary stand-in was Choi Kyu Hah; lenient and with little political influence. The military employed partial martial law, curfews were set and political demonstrations were banned.
"Jeong Seung-hwa, who headed the military, put Korea under partial martial law. That is, Jeju Island was not included, and the reason this is important is that without Jeju it was not full martial law, which would mean the military would have had much more control. Partial martial law meant the National Assembly and cabinet |
Martial law after Park Chung-hee's death. Oct. 26, 1979. ABC News.
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"The only way fundamentally to resolve the Korean situation is through the restoration of a democratic system and the direct election of the President and National Assembly according to the will of the people... The United States must support Korea in this direction and no other. The United States must also do all can to assure the neutrality of the military. If the military enters the political arena, this will only weaken Korean security."
-Kim Dae-jung, New York Times, Nov. 3, 1979.
On Dec. 12, 1979, tanks and men from the graduating class of Korea's Military Academy gathered at Gyeongbok
Palace. Chun Doo-hwan ordered soldiers stationed near the 38th parallel towards Seoul. Ambassador Gleysteen report, Dec. 13, 1979. National Security Archives.
The group falsely arrested 16 high-level officers as accomplices to Park's assassination. After this feat, these roles were vacant allowing Chun Doo-hwan to occupy the role of Chung Seung-Hwan, Army Chief of Staff.
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Commemorative photo of those that assisted the coup, Dec. 12, 1979. Hankookilbo.
"Power was concentrated in the hands of the new military group, called shingoonbu... which was led by Chun. The 12/12 coup was about privileged people who had benefited under the Yushin system protecting their self-interest. They wanted to prolong their power. That is the true nature of 12/12." Choi Kyu Hah promoting Chun Doo-hwan to Army Chief of Staff. Hankyoreh.
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Soon, 70,000 students in Seoul protested to lift martial law, defy authoritarianism, and push for direct elections. They paved the way for demonstrations in Gwangju.
"After the street demonstrations in Seoul, on May 13, democratic aspirations spread across the country—to the city of Gwangju. The students of Chŏnnam and Chosun universities protested, attempting to take over the streets." |
Seoul students suppressed, 1980. The New York Times.
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