The Military Death Investigation Committee to Conduct Ex Officio Investigation into the 'Lieutenant Colonel Kim Orang Case' Killed by the 12·12 Rebel Forces

Committee: "To Clearly Distinguish Cause of Death"

Gravestone of the late Lieutenant Colonel Kim Orang

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The government has launched an investigation into the case of the late Lieutenant Colonel Kim Orang, who was killed by the rebel forces during the December 12 military coup.

The Presidential Military Death Incident Investigation Committee announced on the 24th, during its 51st regular meeting, that it has decided to conduct an ex officio investigation into the case of Lieutenant Colonel Kim (then Major), who was killed by the rebel forces during the December 12 incident.

Lieutenant Colonel Kim was the secretary to Special Forces Commander Jeong Byeong-ju during the December 12 coup. He engaged in a firefight against the troops of the New Military Regime's 3rd Airborne Brigade who came to arrest Commander Jeong, and was fatally shot.

The committee stated that the military records created immediately after his death classified the cause of death as "in the line of duty," but the specific circumstances were not documented through investigations by state agencies.

The committee explained, "Just as Sergeant Jeong's cause of death should be changed from 'in the line of duty' to 'killed in action,' it is consistent for the state to clarify the relationship between Lieutenant Colonel Kim's death and the military rebellion and to clearly define the cause of death. Therefore, we have decided to conduct an ex officio investigation into Lieutenant Colonel Kim's case."

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