Unit 684
Encyclopedia
209th Detachment, 2325th Group, commonly known as Unit 684, was a black operation
team of Republic of Korea Air Force
whose only given task was to assassinate North Korea
's premier
Kim Il-sung
.
(KCIA) on the orders of President Park Chung-hee
to retaliate for the Blue House Raid
on January 19, 1968. The Defense Ministry said the unit was a detachment of the ROK Air Force’s 2325th Group, which recruited 31 civilians, either petty criminals or unemployed youths who were promised money and jobs if they succeeded in their mission.
Similar to North Korea's Unit 124
, which had failed to assassinate President Park in the Blue House Raid, Unit 684 was made up of 31 men. Its mission was to assassinate the leader of North Korea, Kim Il-sung
. The number of the unit, 684, stands for April 1968, when the unit was founded. The members were harshly trained on the uninhabited island of Silmido
, in the Yellow Sea
, off the coast of Incheon
. Seven members of the unit died during training. Following an improvement in intra-Korean relations, the unit's assassination mission was cancelled.
. The bus was stopped by the army
in Daebang-dong
, Dongjak-gu
, Seoul. Twenty members of the unit were shot or committed suicide with hand grenades. The four survivors were sentenced to death by a military tribunal
and executed on March 10, 1972.
in 2003, but the government only released an official report on the unit and the uprising in 2006.
In 2009, the families of 21 members of Unit 684 sued the South Korean government for 670 million Korean won
in compensation. On May 19, 2010, the Seoul Central District Court ordered that the government pay 273 million Korean won in compensation to the families. The court found that "the Silmido agents were not informed of the level of danger involved with their training, and the harshness of the training violated their basic human rights" and also acknowledged the emotional pain the government caused by not officially disclosing the agents’ deaths to family members until 2006.
Black operation
A black operation or black op is a covert operation typically involving activities that are highly clandestine and often outside of standard military protocol or even against the law.-Origins:...
team of Republic of Korea Air Force
Republic of Korea Air Force
The Republic of Korea Air Force is the air force of South Korea...
whose only given task was to assassinate North Korea
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...
's premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung was a Korean communist politician who led the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death...
.
Formation
The unit was set up by the Chief of Korean Central Intelligence AgencyNational 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...
(KCIA) on the orders of President 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...
to retaliate for the Blue House Raid
Blue House Raid
The Blue House Raid was an unsuccessful attempt by North Korean commandos to assassinate the South Korean President Park Chung-hee at the Blue House on January 21, 1968.-Preparations:...
on January 19, 1968. The Defense Ministry said the unit was a detachment of the ROK Air Force’s 2325th Group, which recruited 31 civilians, either petty criminals or unemployed youths who were promised money and jobs if they succeeded in their mission.
Unit 124
Unit 124 was a North Korean Special Operation Forces unit, part of the Reconnaissance Bureau of the Korean People's Army , under the operational control of the Liaison Department of the Worker's Party of Korea....
, which had failed to assassinate President Park in the Blue House Raid, Unit 684 was made up of 31 men. Its mission was to assassinate the leader of North Korea, Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung was a Korean communist politician who led the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death...
. The number of the unit, 684, stands for April 1968, when the unit was founded. The members were harshly trained on the uninhabited island of Silmido
Silmido
Silmido is an uninhabited island in the Yellow Sea, off the west coast of South Korea. It has an area of about .25 km². It lies within the borders of Incheon metropolitan city, and is about 5 kilometers southwest of Incheon International Airport...
, in the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
, off the coast of Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
. Seven members of the unit died during training. Following an improvement in intra-Korean relations, the unit's assassination mission was cancelled.
Mutiny
On August 23, 1971, for reasons which remain unclear, the members of Unit 684 rose up and killed all but six of their guards and made their way to the mainland, where they hijacked a bus to SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. The bus was stopped by the army
Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...
in Daebang-dong
Daebang-dong
Daebang-dong is a dong, neighbourhood of Dongjak-gu in Seoul, South Korea.-External links:*...
, Dongjak-gu
Dongjak-gu
Dongjak-gu is one of the 25 gu which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Its name was derived from the Dongjaegi Naruteo Ferry, located on the Han River which borders the district to the north...
, Seoul. Twenty members of the unit were shot or committed suicide with hand grenades. The four survivors were sentenced to death by a military tribunal
Military tribunal
A military tribunal is a kind of military court designed to try members of enemy forces during wartime, operating outside the scope of conventional criminal and civil proceedings. The judges are military officers and fulfill the role of jurors...
and executed on March 10, 1972.
Aftermath
The South Korean government concealed all information regarding Unit 684 until the 1990s. The unit came to public attention with the release of the film SilmidoSilmido (film)
Silmido is a 2003 South Korean film, directed by Kang Woo-suk. It is loosely based on a military uprising from the island of Silmido in the 1970s. At the end of its run, the film was the most watched film ever in South Korea, and the first film to attract an audience of 10 million viewers in the...
in 2003, but the government only released an official report on the unit and the uprising in 2006.
In 2009, the families of 21 members of Unit 684 sued the South Korean government for 670 million Korean won
South Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
in compensation. On May 19, 2010, the Seoul Central District Court ordered that the government pay 273 million Korean won in compensation to the families. The court found that "the Silmido agents were not informed of the level of danger involved with their training, and the harshness of the training violated their basic human rights" and also acknowledged the emotional pain the government caused by not officially disclosing the agents’ deaths to family members until 2006.
See also
- Blue House RaidBlue House RaidThe Blue House Raid was an unsuccessful attempt by North Korean commandos to assassinate the South Korean President Park Chung-hee at the Blue House on January 21, 1968.-Preparations:...
- Silmido (film)Silmido (film)Silmido is a 2003 South Korean film, directed by Kang Woo-suk. It is loosely based on a military uprising from the island of Silmido in the 1970s. At the end of its run, the film was the most watched film ever in South Korea, and the first film to attract an audience of 10 million viewers in the...
, a movie loosely based on the events described in the article