By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
The U.S. administration had expressed deep regrets over Chun Doo-hwan's military coup that took place on Dec. 12, 1979, following the assassination of President Park Chung-hee on Oct. 26 of the same year, according to declassified diplomatic documents Monday.
Chun, then an Army lieutenant general, drove out acting President Choi Kyu-ha and ordered the arrest of Army Chief of Staff General Jeong Seung-hwa on allegations of his involvement in the assassination by Kim Jae-kyu, the nation's spy chief.
The documents said that Richard Holbrooke, then U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, summoned Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Kim Yong-shik on Dec. 14, 1979 to express regret.
The U.S. official was quoted as having said that the drastic change in the military setup could disturb Korea's command structure and might invite North Korean leader Kim Il-sung to launch a military venture.
During their second meeting four days later, Holbrooke also said that then U.S. President Jimmy Carter was keeping a close eye on the military insurrection and expressed the hope that Korea would institute democratic reforms.
The documents released by the foreign ministry stated that the Korean government instructed the ambassador to explain to the assistant secretary that the country was dealing with the situation.
William Gleysteen, who served as U.S. ambassador to Seoul between 1978 and 1981, also had a meeting with then Foreign Minister Park Dong-jin and expressed regrets, the documents said.
Gleysteen was particularly concerned that frontline infantry divisions were taken out of frontline duties for the coup, according to the documents.
Meanwhile, the declassified documents showed that Park's assassination stunned other countries, and presidents and senior officials around the world expressed their condolences.
A Canadian daily newspaper carried the assassination on its front page under the title, "Intelligence chief arrested: Park victim of assassination."
More than 260 U.S. officials signed the book of condolences prepared by the South Korean Embassy in the United States, the paper said.
Many countries, including Australia, India, Thailand and Canada declared a mourning period and flew flags at half-mast, the documents said.
Koreans living in the United States and Japan donated condolence money.
The foreign ministry was also found to have offered red carpet treatment to Imelda Marcos when she made an official visit to Korea to express condolences on behalf of then President Ferdinand Marcos, her husband.
The withdrawal of U.S. troops was also a controversial issue between the United States and South Korea, the documents showed.
Then-U.S. President Jimmy Carter threatened to pull U.S. forces out but the Park administration objected to the move.
ksy@koreatimes.co.kr
