Mun Segwang
Encyclopedia
Mun Se-gwang 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.
s 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.
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. 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. Unfortunately 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 Part resumed his speech.
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.
Mun was hanged in Seoul prison four months after his failed attempt to assassinate President Park.
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
sympathizer who attempted to assassinate South Korean president
President of South Korea
The President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea...
Park Chung-Hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
on August 15, 1974. The assassination attempt resulted in the deaths of Park's wife, Yuk Young-soo
Yuk Young-soo
Yuk Young-soo was the wife of the former president Park Chung-hee and the mother of Korean politician, Park Geun-hye.-Biography:...
, 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 KoreanZainichi Korean
Koreans in Japan are the ethnic Korean residents of Japan. They currently constitute the second largest ethnic minority group in Japan. The majority of Koreans in Japan are Zainichi Koreans, also often known as Zainichi for short, who are the permanent ethnic Korean residents of Japan...
s resided. He traveled to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
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.
Gaining entry to the National Theater
National Theater of Korea
The National Theater of Korea is a national theatre located in the neighborhood of Jangchung-dong, Jung-gu, South Korea. It is the first federally managed theater in Asia.- Affiliation :...
in Seoul, on the day of a ceremony celebrating Korea's independence from Japan which was being attended by South Korean president
President of South Korea
The President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea...
Park Chung-Hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
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. One shot struck Park's wife, Yuk Young-soo
Yuk Young-soo
Yuk Young-soo was the wife of the former president Park Chung-hee and the mother of Korean politician, Park Geun-hye.-Biography:...
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. Unfortunately 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 Part resumed his speech.
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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
embassy officials before Japan issued a letter of regret, easing tensions between the two countries.
Mun was hanged in Seoul prison four months after his failed attempt to assassinate President Park.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- History of South KoreaHistory of South KoreaThe history of South Korea formally begins with the establishment of South Korea on 15 August 1948, although Syngman Rhee had declared the establishment in Seoul on 13 August....
- Zainichi KoreanZainichi KoreanKoreans in Japan are the ethnic Korean residents of Japan. They currently constitute the second largest ethnic minority group in Japan. The majority of Koreans in Japan are Zainichi Koreans, also often known as Zainichi for short, who are the permanent ethnic Korean residents of Japan...
- Korean-Japanese disputesKorean-Japanese disputesThere have been disputes between Japan and Korea on many issues over the years. The two nations have a complex history of cultural exchange, trade, and war, underlying their relations today...