European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 02, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse Addilu Magazine in South Korea by Richard Pyle associated press Lanking the Entrance to City Hall in Seoul s main downtown Square Are two armoured cars each manned by a Soldier in Battle dress stiff backed White gloved and motionless. To the tens of thousands of South koreans who pass daily through the bustling Plaza these modern Day Temple Lions seem permanent fixtures symbolizing As dramatically As anything could the state of affairs in their country today. South Korea despite a powerful current of popular sentiment in favor of democratic Reform and promises by its leaders that the nation will move in that direction appears to slip Ever further away from that Ideal and into the grip of the military establishment that has ruled from behind the scenes for nearly two decades. The ruling generals consolidated their bold on the country last saturday with the creation of a Junta like Council to conduct the nation s affairs under a continuing martial Law decree. The 25-Mcmber Council is to be chaired by civilian ii Dent Choi Kyu hah and includes 14 officers of Star three retired generals. It. Gen. Chun Doo , South Korea s current military strongman will sit on the Council As acting director of the korean Cia but diplomatic sources say he will be the real Power in Mak ing and carrying out policy. The Council comes into existence at a time when . Korean relations Are already torn by what Western diplomats describe As the most severe rift in nearly a decade caused by the korean military s continuing reach for Power and alleged distortions of the . Position on that subject. The effect of this move almost certainly will be to curtail even More drastically South Korea s move toward the True representative form of govern mint that its leaders both military and civilian have pledged for once the meaning sinks in the effect could be More demonstrations More student protests and More Street violence of the kind that wracked the country last month culminating in the bloody insurrection of Kwangju. What would happen then is anybody s guess. But one lesson of Kwangju if a reminder was needed was that South Korea s military leaders do not Long tolerate Vio Lent political dissent and can be counted on to Deal with it harshly. Foreigners who witnessed the upheaval in South Korea s fourth largest City said they were amazed by the size of the crowds tint turned out in the student led protests More than 100,000 on a couple of Days and the Fervour with which they sympathized with the rebels cause. Some people worried about the bloodshed but you could t find anybody who really disagreed with the Stu dents in their Basic demands said one Westerner who watched several Days of the uprising. The feelings against martial Law and the army seemed almost unania the riot Ridden provincial capital Kwangju after recapture by South korean troops. Monday june 2, 1980 Mous especially after the soldiers started beating and killing people. If that Point registered in the minds of the generals they have Given no indication of it. The first official statements following the end of the Kwangju disturbances said the incident should serve As an occasion for All the people to reflect on their actions to avoid a repetition. It. Gen. Chun Doo Hwan the shadowy army officer who in recent months has quietly but with a sure hand tightened his grip on the reins government has eliminated one Way or another most of his potential Adversa Ries. Chun who already held considerable Power As defense Security commander was named acting director of the korean Central intelligence Agency in april As Well. It will be in the latter capacity which Many observers of korean affairs consider the most powerful single Job in the government that Chun will sit on the new Council. The Council is to help formulate policy in foreign and Domestic affairs but in fact will Rale the country under the martial Law decree that was instituted eight months ago and extended to the entire country May 17. The National legislature already controlled by the government party will hate even less influence. South Korea s leaders pledged after the oct. 26 assassination of president Park Chung Hee that there would be a new More democratic Constitution to replace Park s repressive Yushin document by the end of 1980 and general elections Early next year. Diplomatic observers note that Choi prime minister Park and even Chun himself recently reaffirmed that Promise. What political opposition forces and the students fear most is that these promises May be kept but not in the form they desire in other words a Constitution Tai lored by the military to suit its purposes followed by elections under that document. For that there is a precedent Park Chung he in 1972, wrote the current Yushin Constitution and then held parliamentary elections and a presidential election in which he was by design the Only candidate. Chun who is widely believed to be the principal architect of the new Council is said to have justified the move on grounds that South Korea currently faces a National crisis. Chun s meaning in this instance was not made Clear but the phrase is one frequently used by South korean leaders to describe the confrontation with communist North Korea an Issue on which virtually All South koreans politics aside line up with their own govern ment. Well aware of this sentiment the leaders in Seoul often raise the Specter of invasion by North Korea to justify their Lough military Rule Over the country s 37 million people. Although the threat of an actual invasion is not at this time widely taken seriously a Seoul there is agreement on All sides including among Seoul s political opposition that the principal threat o South Korea lies in the North. What worries the opposition and foreign diplomats is that civil distr bancs could become so severe that South Korea s generals would have to divert Large portions of their 600.000-Man army to control the situation and ultimately encourage North Korea s Kim la Sung to try a military adventure. The stars and stripes Page 13
