Kim Jae-gyu 金載圭 | |
|---|---|
 Kim in Taiwan in 1968 | |
| Director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency | |
| In office February 4, 1976 – October 26, 1979 | |
| President | Park Chung Hee |
| Minister of Construction | |
| In office September 14, 1974 – February 4, 1976 | |
| President | Park Chung-hee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 9, 1924 Zensan, Korea, Empire of Japan (now Gumi, South Korea) |
| Died | May 24, 1980 (aged 56) Seoul Detention Center, Seoul, South Korea |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Resting place | Neungpyeong-dong, Gwangju, Gyeonggi |
| Spouse | Kim Young Hee |
| Residence(s) | Seoul, South Korea |
| Education | Hanyang University graduate Engineering Master Korea Military Academy |
| Occupation | Soldier, Jeongmujik government official |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  South Korea |
| Branch/service |  Republic of Korea Army |
| Years of service | 1946–1974 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands | Third Army Group Army Security Command Sixth Military District 6th Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 김재규 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Jaegyu |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Chaegyu |
| Art name | |
| Hangul | 덕산 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Deoksan |
| McCune–Reischauer | Tŏksan |
Kim Jae-gyu (Korean: 김재규, April 9, 1924 – May 24, 1980) was a South Korean politician, army lieutenant general and the director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. He assassinated South Korean President Park Chung Hee—who had been one of his closest friends—on October 26, 1979, and was subsequently executed by hanging on May 24, 1980.
He remains a controversial figure with many contradictions: he is regarded by some as a patriot who ended Park's 18-year military dictatorship, and by others as a traitor who killed his long-time benefactor out of personal grievance. For many years, the latter was the prevailing view, but later revelations in the early 2000s about Kim's relationship with some leaders of the democracy movement prompted a re-evaluation in some circles.