Former dictator comes out of isolation to salute military academy cadets

Posted on : 2012-06-11 16:15 KST Modified on : 2012-06-11 16:15 KST
Critics allege honoring former dictator sets a bad example for young people
 June 8.
June 8.

By Lee Kyung-mi and Ha Eo-young, staff reporters

Former President Chun Doo-hwan made it out of his reclusive life in Seoul’s Yeonhui neighborhood to conduct a cadet review at the Korea Military Academy (KMA) last week. Chun led South Korea with an iron fist from 1980-1988. He was at one point sentenced to death for high treason and mutiny for his role in directing a 1979 coup and the 1980 massacre in Gwangju.

May 18 Memorial Foundation executive director Song Sun-tae told the Hankyoreh in a telephone interview on June 10 that it was “highly unfortunate for the military and people of South Korea” that Chun and other Fifth Republic figures presided over a parade at the KMA, an institution where honor and morale are paramount.

Civic groups related to the Gwangju democracy movement are planning to issue a statement demanding the resignation of the Defense Minister for the “disruption to national discipline” by allowing Chun to make the appearance.

“This attempt to reevaluate and revive the Fifth Republic while a controversy rages over certain people’s ‘suspect national views’ and ‘allegiance to Pyongyang’ is an affront to historical justice,” Song said.

The May 18 Memorial Foundation is among 450 democracy and history groups around the country that attached their names to a statement June 11 demanding that President Lee Myung-bak replace Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and apologize to the public.

Due to heavy traffic of netizens unhappy with Chun Doo-hwan’s appearance at a the Korean Military Academy ceremony
Due to heavy traffic of netizens unhappy with Chun Doo-hwan’s appearance at a the Korean Military Academy ceremony

Last weekend saw the rapid spread via social networking services of images showing Chun being saluted by and saluting cadets parading at a June 8 event at the KMA in Seoul. The event was held to celebrate the raising of 20 billion won (about US$17 million) for the school’s development fund.

In addition to Chun, a number of other key Fifth Republic figures also attended the event, including former Agency for National Security Planning chief and close associate Chang Se-dong, former anti-Communism office chief of the Defense Security Command Lee Hak-bong, former Minister of Home Affairs Chung Ho-yong, former Army Chief of Staff Kim Jin-young, and former Minister of Culture and Information Lee Won-hong.

“What are they trying to teach cadets?” asked Seoul National University law school professor Han In-sup. “I question the ‘national view’ of the KMA superintendent.”

Democratic United Party spokesman Park Yong-jin said at a National Assembly briefing that it was “dismaying to see signs of Yushin-era forces making a comeback and Fifth Republic figures living free and easy on the 25th anniversary of the June Democracy Movement.”

Park called for the immediate dismissal of KMA superintendent Lee Bong-won for teaching cadets an anti-Constitutional perspective, as well as the resignation of Kim Kwan-jin.

The military said Chun was invited because of his contribution to the KMA development fund.

An Army official explained that Chun donated 10 million won over ten installments between Jan. 1994 and Jan. 1995, and that he previously attended and conducted a review at an event six years before to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the development fund and the raising of 10 billion won.

“KMA cadets often hold public parades, and there is nothing special about them saluting when they pass the reviewing stand,” the official said.

Regarding the fact that a separate seat had been set aside for Chun, the official said this was done “out of deference to the oldest attending KMA graduate.”

Chun was sentenced to death at his first trial in 1996 before the Supreme Court commuted the sentence the following year to life in prison and a fine of 220.5 billion won. He was pardoned in December of that year by President Kim Young-sam in the interests of public reconciliation.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]

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