Korea revokes state honors tied to 1979 coup, Gwangju massacre, fabricated spy cases
The decision covers 198 decorations, including 76 Military Merit Medals awarded to 76 people involved in the Dec. 12, 1979 military coup and the suppression of the May 18, 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising.
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting held at the Blue House in central Seoul on July 21.NEWS1
The government is set to revoke nearly 200 state honors awarded to individuals involved in Chun Doo Hwan's military coup of 1979, the suppression of the 1980 Gwangju democracy uprising and trumped-up spy cases during Korea's past military dictatorships, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Tuesday.
The decision, approved in a Cabinet meeting the same day, covers 198 decorations awarded to 167 people. It includes 76 Military Merit Medals awarded to 76 people involved in the Dec. 12, 1979 military coup and the suppression of the May 18, 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising, as well as 122 commendations — including Presidential and Prime Minister’s Citations — given to 91 recipients for their roles in fabricated espionage cases from the 1960s through the 1990s.
The Ministry of National Defense said it reexamined the records of 42 recipients, including the late So Jun-yeol (1931-2004), a former Army vice chief of staff, who had been decorated for what was then described as contributions to national security.
After reviewing their service histories and anti-espionage operation records, the ministry concluded that none had performed the acts required to qualify for military decorations and ruled that the achievements cited in the awards had been falsely documented.
"It was confirmed that they had no record of performing duties equivalent to combat, which is required for a military merit medal, or of distinguished service in defending the nation, which is required for a military merit commendation," a Defense Ministry official said.
So commanded operations to suppress protesters during the 1980 Gwangju uprising while serving as commander of the Army education command's combat unit.
A commemorative photograph of members of the military junta at the Defense Security Command headquarters in Seoul following the Dec. 12, 1979 military coup. Former President Roh Tae-woo is fourth from the left in the front row, and former President Chun Doo Hwan is fifth from the left.YONHAP
The ministry also said the honors awarded to 34 people for their roles in enforcing martial law were based on false claims because the courts later determined that the operation itself was an act of insurrection that sought to undermine the constitutional order.
Honors awarded to then-leaderChun Doo Hwan's close aides, including military figures Cho Hong and Baek Un-taek and security personnel Choi Seok-rip. The three were photographed with Chun and Roh Tae-woo, then-commander of the ninth infantry division, at the Defense Security Command headquarters following Chun's military coup on Dec. 12, 1979. Chun rose to power through the coup.
Recipients of military merit medals receive a monthly honorary allowance of between 550,000 won and 570,000 won ($370-$390), depending on the class of the medal.
The Korean National Police Agency also revoked 36 state honors given to 20 people involved in five cases. These include a 1979 case in which about 80 activists protesting the Park Chung Hee government were arrested on charges of violating the National Security Act and the subsequently abolished Anti-Communist Act. However, appellate trials in 2024 and last year acquitted the activists, finding that they had been illegally detained and abused.
The move also strips honors from Lee Geun-an, widely known as a "torture master," and Park Cheo-won, the former chief of the police's anti-communist investigation bureau. Park falsely claimed that late student protester Park Jong-cheol (1965-1978) suddenly died after Park banged his desk, even though he had been tortured to death during police questioning in 1987.
Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung speaks during a press briefing at the central government complex in Jongno District, central Seoul, on July 16.YONHAP
The National Intelligence Service also revoked 86 honors awarded to 71 people involved in 19 fabricated espionage cases. It includes instances where zainichi — ethnic Koreans living in Japan — were framed as communist agents and a family in Boseong, South Jeolla, was ruined on suspicion of acting on behalf of North Korea.
The Interior Ministry had worked with the Defense Ministry, the police agency and the intelligence service to verify the recipients by reviewing state honors records and Cabinet documents. It also completed the required administrative procedures, including notifying those affected in advance and convening the decorations review committee.
The latest move marks the government's third round of revocations this year. In January, it canceled 11 decorations, including Order of National Security Merit medals related to fabricated espionage cases handled by the intelligence service. In March, it revoked 10 Order of Military Merit medals awarded to participants in the Dec. 12 military coup in 1979.
"The government will continue identifying and revoking inappropriate state honors linked to anti-constitutional acts and fabricated espionage cases to preserve the integrity and prestige of government decorations," Interior and Safety Minister Yun Ho-jung said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
