Mun Se-gwang
| Mun Se-gwang | |
| Hangul | 문세광 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Mun Se-gwang |
| McCune–Reischauer | Mun Segwang |
| Japanese name: Nanjō Seikō (南条世光) | |
Mun Se-gwang (December 26, 1951 – December 20, 1974) was a Japanese-born North Korean sympathizer who attempted to assassinate South Korean president Park Chung-Hee on August 15, 1974. The assassination attempt resulted in the deaths of Park's wife, Yuk Young-soo, and a high school student.
Biography
Mun Se-gwang was born in Japan on 26 December 1951 and was raised in Osaka, where many Zainichi Koreans resided. He traveled to South Korea on 8 August 1974, using a Japanese passport to enter the country. Concealed in his luggage was a revolver, stolen from a Japanese police station.[1]
Gaining entry to the National Theater in Seoul, on the day of a ceremony celebrating Korea's independence from Japan which was being attended by South Korean president Park Chung-Hee and his wife, Mun intended to shoot Park in the theater lobby. However, his view was obstructed, and he was forced to enter and be seated near the back of the theater. During Park's address, he attempted to get closer to the President but inadvertently fired his revolver prematurely, injuring himself. Having alerted security, he then ran down the theater aisle firing wildly.[1] One shot struck Park's wife, Yuk Young-soo in the head, seriously wounding her. A brief exchange of gunfire ensued between the would-be assassin and the President's guards, before Mun was captured. A high school student, Jang Bong-hwa, was killed in the exchange of gunfire. Despite his wife being transported to hospital, where she died, President Park resumed his speech.[2]
During his interrogation, Mun confessed to have been aided in his bid to assassinate President Park by an official of a North Korea aligned residents association in Japan. This, and the fact that Mun used a Japanese passport to enter South Korea, strained diplomatic relationships between Japan, North Korea, and South Korea; South Korea concluded that Mun was acting on behalf of North Korea, but Japan refused to accept South Korea's position. Consequently, Park threatened to break off diplomatic relations and to nationalise Japanese assets in South Korea. It required mediation by United States embassy officials before Japan issued a letter of regret, easing tensions between the two countries.[1]
Mun was hanged in Seoul prison four months after his failed attempt to assassinate President Park.[1]
Notes
Sources
- Oberdorfer, Don (1997). The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History. Addison-Wesley