Assaults by North Korean Commandos in 1968

A communist commando who escaped to North Korea after the attack on Cheong Wa Dae in January 21, 1968 has been revealed as Park Jae-kyeong, 71, a high-ranking officer of the North Korean People’s Army.

Kim Sin-jo, 63, the only survivor of the North Korean commandos, verified it during an interview with a monthly magazine of Shindonga, a sister company of the Donga ilbo.

Mr. Park came to South Korea in September 11, 2000, accompanying Kim Yong-soon, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party, and delivered Kim Jong-il’s present of pine mushrooms.

“After the incident, South Korean authorities announced that all 31 communist commandos were dead except me, but that is not true,” said Mr. Kim. “The one who escaped to the North recently came to the South carrying pine mushrooms.”

“When Park Keun-hye, lawmaker from the Grand National Party, visited North Korea, Kim Jong-il said that all responsible people of the 1/21 incident had been purged, but that is not true,” Mr. Kim alleged. “He does not easily purge soldiers who risk their lives for him, and most of them are still alive as an actual power of the military.”

“Save Kim Sin-jo, we only identified 27 bodies of 31 North Korean commandos. We failed to confirm the fate of the remaining three,” said Park Dong-rim who was in charge of the investigation of the incident. “We later found out through the North Korean broadcast that one commando crossed the border to the North and was lionized as a hero.”

Ho-Won Choi bestiger@donga.com