[Opinion] Korea¡¯s assassination wound still open

In the afternoon of Oct. 25, a large sign was hung at the Christian Hall in Jong-ro Fifth Avenue area of Seoul calling for the "Reassessment of the Oct. 26 Assassination and the Inaugural of the Support Committee for the Reinstatement of Honor of General Kim Jae-Kyu."

Such similar calls surrounding the assassination of the late President Park Jung-Hee always have shared the common aim for democratization, social justice and righteousness. Among the various motives confessed by the former Korean Central Intelligence Agency Chief Kim Jae-Kyu, the statement during the military court trial, which took place one and half month after the assassination, offers the clearest motive.

During the final deposition concerning his motive, he revealed, "First, to restore the free democracy and second, to prevent further sacrifice of lives of Korean citizens."

Although the call for the reassessment of the assassination is not new, an organized committee publicly announcing its birth for the reinstatement of honor for the former chief of the Central Intelligence Agency seems to be the first. During the inaugural declaration, the organization revealed that as the new military government at the time, led by former presidents Chun Doo-Hwan and Roh Tae-Woo, were charged with crimes surrounding their takeover of the government, the reassessment of the assassination needs to be made.

"The followers of Park Jung-Hee are calling for the construction of the Park Jung Hee Memorial with President Kim's pledge to finance such project using public fund,¡± the declaration criticized. ¡°Such actions are anti-Korean by those lacking regard for historical justice."

Meanwhile, on the morning of Oct. 26, at the National Cemetery in the Dongjak district of Seoul, the 21st memorial service as held for the late President Park. For the service, many influential figures during the administration of Park¡¯s republic government attended, along with current honorary president of the Liberal Democratic Party Kim Jong-Pil and the chairman of the National Restoration Committee Paik Nam-Ok.

"It is indeed joyous to hear that the memorial hall for Park Jung Hee is formally underway," honorary LDP president Kim said at the service.

However, last week, 649 professors at various universities, including Korea University Professor Kang Man-Gil, signed a petition opposing the construction of the memorial hall and urged, "The government must suspend the plans for the hall, which is an attempt at reconciliation with anti-national establishment." The petition also demanded, "President Kim must resign from the post as honorary chairman of the Committee for the Construction of the Memorial Hall."

Attorney Lee Don-Myung said that he could not but seek the movement for the reinstatement of General Kim Jae-Kyu's honor upon seeing the plans for the construct of a Park Jung Hee Memorial. How should the people interpret President Kim's support for the memorial hall, a man whose rise to power was based on an anti-authoritarian democratization movement?

Kim Jae-Hong nieman96@donga.com