People's Revolutionary Party Incident
Encyclopedia
The People's Revolutionary Party Incidents were legal cases in which the South Korean government accused individuals of socialist
inclinations according to the Anti-communism
Law in 1965 (the First Incident) and National Security Law
in 1975 (the Second Incident).
On December 27, 2005, the appeal to this case has been accepted and on January 23, 2007 the District Court of Central Seoul
sentenced the defendants not to be guilty in regards to the accused violations against Emergency Presidential Acts, National Security Act
, preparations and conspirations of civil war
, and the Anti-communism law.
claimed Do Ye-jong (도예종, 都禮鐘), Yang Choon-woo (양춘우, 楊春遇), Park Hyun-chae (박현채) and ten other individuals organized the People's Revolutionary Party. According to the NIS, this was "an organization attempting to overthrow the Republic of Korea according to North Korean programs" that "tried to recruit more people from various backgrounds to expand the party structure." Do, Yang and Park and other six were sentenced to six years imprisonment
, while the others were sentenced to a year of imprisonment and three years probation.
, the NIS arrested 23 individuals including Do Yejong on April 8, 1974 under the National Security Law, based on accusations that they had formed a "Committee for Re-establishment of the PRP." On April 9, 1975, the Supreme Court of South Korea sentenced Do Yejong, Yeo Jeongnam, Kim Yongwon, Lee Subyeong, Ha Jaewan, Seo Dowon, Song Sangjin, and Woo Hongseon to the death penalty. The remaining were sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment. 18 hours after the sentence was made, the government executed the eight individuals.
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
inclinations according to the Anti-communism
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
Law in 1965 (the First Incident) and National Security Law
National Security Act (South Korea)
The National Security Law is a South Korean law which has the avowed purpose "to restrict anti-state acts that endanger national security and to protect [the] nation's safety and its people's life and freedom."...
in 1975 (the Second Incident).
On December 27, 2005, the appeal to this case has been accepted and on January 23, 2007 the District Court of Central Seoul
South Korean law
The legal system of South Korea is a civil law system that has its basis in the Constitution of the Republic of Korea.-History:The South Korean legal system effectively dates from the introduction of the original Constitution of the Republic of Korea and the organization of South Korea as an...
sentenced the defendants not to be guilty in regards to the accused violations against Emergency Presidential Acts, National Security Act
National Security Act (South Korea)
The National Security Law is a South Korean law which has the avowed purpose "to restrict anti-state acts that endanger national security and to protect [the] nation's safety and its people's life and freedom."...
, preparations and conspirations of civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
, and the Anti-communism law.
The first incident
The first incident occurred on August 14, 1965. The National Intelligence Service of South KoreaNational Intelligence Service (South Korea)
The National Intelligence Service is the chief intelligence agency of South Korea. The agency was officially established in 1961 as the Korea Central Intelligence Agency , during the rule of President Park Chung-hee's military Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, which displaced the...
claimed Do Ye-jong (도예종, 都禮鐘), Yang Choon-woo (양춘우, 楊春遇), Park Hyun-chae (박현채) and ten other individuals organized the People's Revolutionary Party. According to the NIS, this was "an organization attempting to overthrow the Republic of Korea according to North Korean programs" that "tried to recruit more people from various backgrounds to expand the party structure." Do, Yang and Park and other six were sentenced to six years imprisonment
Imprisonment
Imprisonment is a legal term.The book Termes de la Ley contains the following definition:This passage was approved by Atkin and Duke LJJ in Meering v Grahame White Aviation Co....
, while the others were sentenced to a year of imprisonment and three years probation.
The second incident
The second incident, also known as the "Committee for Re-establishment of the People's Revolutionary Party (PRP) Incident" (in Korean: 인민혁명당 재건위원회 사건) in South Korea, took place on April 9, 1975. As demonstrations increased against the dictatorship of Park Chung-heePark 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...
, the NIS arrested 23 individuals including Do Yejong on April 8, 1974 under the National Security Law, based on accusations that they had formed a "Committee for Re-establishment of the PRP." On April 9, 1975, the Supreme Court of South Korea sentenced Do Yejong, Yeo Jeongnam, Kim Yongwon, Lee Subyeong, Ha Jaewan, Seo Dowon, Song Sangjin, and Woo Hongseon to the death penalty. The remaining were sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment. 18 hours after the sentence was made, the government executed the eight individuals.
- Do Ye-jong (도예종, 都禮鐘)
- Yeo Jeong-nam (여정남, 呂正男)
- Kim Yong-won (김용원, 金鏞元)
- Lee Soo-byeong (이수병, 李銖秉)
- Ha Jae-wan (하재완, 河在完)
- Seo Do-won (서도원, 徐道源)
- Song Sang-jin (송상진, 宋相振)
- Woo Hong-seon (우홍선, 禹洪善)
Revision
Recently an investigatory commission found the charges pressed against those individuals were false. Confessions were obtained using methods such as torture and coercion. It is now widely evidenced that such a "People's Revolutionary Party" never existed in reality, and that it was fabricated by the KCIA.See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- Third Republic of South KoreaThird Republic of South KoreaThe Third Republic of South Korea was the government of South Korea from 1963 to 1972. It was presented as a return to civilian rule after a period of rule by the military junta known as the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction which had overthrown the Second Republic of South Korea in 1961...
- Fourth Republic of South KoreaFourth Republic of South KoreaThe Fourth Republic was the government of South Korea between 1972 and 1981, regulated by the Yushin Constitution adopted in October 1972 and confirmed in a referendum on 21 November 1972. From 1972 to 1979, power was monopolized by Park Chung Hee and his Democratic Republican Party under the...
- South Korean People's Front Preparation CommitteeSouth Korean People's Front Preparation CommitteeThe South Korean People's Front Preparation Committee was a pro-North Korean organization in South Korea from 1976 to 1979.-Evaluation:A South Korean citizen group for promoting a historical viewpoint against North Korea declared the South Korean People's Front Preparation Committee as "a violent...