[One Sip of a Book] The Untold Story of That Day: 'The 5th Republic Namsan Chiefs'

Some sentences encapsulate the entire content of the book itself, while others instantly reach the reader's heart, creating a connection with the book. We introduce such meaningful sentences excerpted from the book. - Editor's note

This book uncovers the behind-the-scenes conspiracies of political operations, opposition suppression, election interference, and human rights abuses led by five directors of the Agency for National Security Planning during the Fifth Republic (1980?1988) under the Chun Doo-hwan era. It is a sequel to the 2020 highly acclaimed book "Namsan's Chiefs," which covers the eight-year history of the Fifth Republic during Chun Doo-hwan's rule, revealing many untold stories not included in the previous volume.

At 10 a.m. on May 17, the second quiet coup d’?tat following the December 12 military coup by the new military regime unfolds.

(Political scientists record that Chun Doo-hwan’s new military regime seized power through a two-phased coup d’?tat: the December 12 coup in 1979 and the May 17 coup in 1980.)

A meeting of key military commanders was held in the Ministry of National Defense’s first conference room. As scripted, Minister of National Defense Joo Young-bok, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Yoo Byung-hyun, and other attendees took their seats.

Firm faces of influential figures such as Lee Hee-seong, Jin Jong-chae, Yoon Sung-min, Hwang Young-si, Cha Kyu-heon, Roh Tae-woo, Jung Ho-yong, and Park Joon-byung were visible, along with serious expressions from generals Kim Yoon-ho, Yoon Heung-jung, Kim Hong-gi, Kim Sang-tae, Choi Young-gu, Choi Young-sik, Jeon Seong-gak, Kang Young-sik, Park No-young, Ahn Jong-hoon, Jung Hyun-taek, Koo Deuk-hyun, Kim Jong-sook, Kwon Ik-gum, Jeon Chang-rok, Kim Jong-gon, Lee Jong-ho, Jung Won-min, Kim Jeong-ho, Lee Eun-soo, Lee Sang-hae, Choi Ki-deuk, Choi Joong-ha, Yoon Ja-jung, Lee Hee-geun, Kim Yong-soo, and Kim In-gi.

They all sensed what Chun Doo-hwan’s faction was scheming.

Earlier that morning, Minister of National Defense Joo Young-bok received the new military regime’s scenario through Kwon Jeong-dal, head of the Security Command. The scenario from Chun Doo-hwan (Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and Commander of the Security Command) urged the National Assembly to approve at the Cabinet meeting: 1. Expansion of martial law nationwide, 2. Dissolution of the National Assembly, and 3. Establishment of the “National Security Emergency Planning Committee.” However, the meeting only discussed these matters and collected signatures on a blank paper. (Vol. 1, pp. 146?147)

The prosecution also suffered a historic humiliation.

Two prosecutors, including the chief prosecutor in charge, were dismissed, and Lee Chang-woo, head of the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office, and Jo Yong-rak, head of the Southern District Prosecutors’ Office, were held responsible and removed from their posts. Lee Chang-woo managed a farm and only opened a law office in 1990, while Jo Yong-rak could not open a law office immediately in 1983 and only started practicing in 1984.

The real target of the Agency for National Security Planning was the “prosecution.”

The Agency’s report dated February 12, 1983, stated that it had launched an investigation into irregularities in the prosecution’s investigation of a foreign currency smuggling case.

The result completely overturned the prosecution’s investigation.

The Agency accused the prosecution of abusing and torturing the poor suspects without money, while favoring wealthy criminals, subjecting some suspects to water torture and beatings, and giving excessive special treatment to individuals like Lee Kyung-ja. (Vol. 2, p. 35)

Fifth Republic Namsan’s Chiefs | Written by Kim Choong-sik | Blue Elephant | 344 pages | 19,000 KRW

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.