Final years and assassination Park Chung-hee

final years

although growth of south korean economy had secured high level of support park s presidency in 1960s, support began fade after economic growth started slowing in 1970s. many south koreans becoming unhappy autocratic rule, security services , restrictions placed on personal freedoms. while park had legitimised administration, using provisions laid down in state of emergency laws dating korean war, failed address constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech , press. furthermore, security service, kcia, retained broad powers of arrest , detention; many of park s opponents held without trial , tortured. demonstrations against yushin system erupted throughout country park’s unpopularity began rise.

these demonstrations came decisive moment on 16 october 1979, when student group calling end of dictatorship , yushin system began @ busan national university. action, part of pu-ma struggle (named pusan , masan areas), moved streets of city students , riot police fought day. evening, 50,000 people had gathered in front of busan city hall. on next 2 days several public offices attacked , around 400 protesters arrested. on 18 october, park s government declared martial law in busan. on same day protests spread kyungnam university in masan. 10,000 people, students , workers, joined demonstrations against park s yushin system. violence escalated attacks being launched @ police stations , city offices of ruling party. night fall citywide curfew put place in masan.

assassination

on 26 october 1979, park shot dead kim jae-gyu, director of kcia, after banquet @ safehouse in gungjeong-dong, jongno-gu, seoul. kim killed park s chief bodyguard, cha ji-chul. other kcia officers went other parts of building shooting dead 4 more presidential guards. kim , group later arrested soldiers under south korea s army chief of staff. tortured , later executed. s unclear whether spontaneous act of passion individual or part of pre-arranged attempted coup intelligence service. kim claimed park obstacle democracy , act 1 of patriotism. investigation s head, chun doo-hwan, rejected claims , concluded kim acted preserve own power.

park, said devout buddhist, accorded first south korean interfaith state funeral on 3 november in seoul. buried full military honors @ national cemetery. kim jae-gyu, motive murdering park remains unclear, hanged on 24 may 1980.