Kim Jae-gyu

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
PresidentPark Chung Hee
Minister of Construction
In office
September 14, 1974 – February 4, 1976
PresidentPark Chung-hee
Personal details
Born(1924-04-09)April 9, 1924
Zensan, Korea, Empire of Japan
(now Gumi, South Korea)
DiedMay 24, 1980(1980-05-24) (aged 56)
Seoul Detention Center, Seoul, South Korea
Cause of deathExecution by hanging
Resting placeNeungpyeong-dong, Gwangju, Gyeonggi
SpouseKim Young Hee
Residence(s)Seoul, South Korea
EducationHanyang University graduate Engineering Master
Korea Military Academy
OccupationSoldier, Jeongmujik government official
ReligionBuddhism
Military service
Allegiance South Korea
Branch/service Republic of Korea Army
Years of service1946–1974
RankLieutenant General
CommandsThird Army Group
Army Security Command
Sixth Military District
6th Division
Battles/warsWorld War II
Korean War
Korean name
Hangul
김재규
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGim Jaegyu
McCune–ReischauerKim Chaegyu
Art name
Hangul
덕산
Hanja
Revised RomanizationDeoksan
McCune–ReischauerTŏksan

Kim Jae-gyu (Korean김재규, 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.