길재호
One of the core figures of the May 16 coup, brigadier general, Secretary-General of the Democratic Republican Party and National Assembly member; pen name Gonghyeon
| Life | 1923 ~ 1985 |
| Era | 현대 |
| Clan | 해평 길씨 |
Life & career
Gil Jae-ho (1923-1985) was a soldier and politician from Yongbyon, North Pyeongan, of the Haepyeong Gil clan, introduced with the pen name Gonghyeon. He graduated from the Korea Military Academy's 8th class in 1949, fought in the Korean War and retired as a brigadier general in 1963.
With classmates such as Kim Jong-pil he became a core figure of the May 16 coup, and in the military government chaired committees including legal affairs in the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction. He was elected for Geumsan as a Democratic Republican Party candidate in 1963 and re-elected in 1967, and served as the party's Secretary-General for about three and a half years from 1966.
He was Minister without Portfolio in 1970 and in 1971, during the October 2 defiance incident, voted for the motion to dismiss the Interior Minister and resigned his seat. He was afterwards taken in for questioning by the KCIA, though details differ by source. In the 1980s he headed the life insurance association and died in 1985. Assessments of his political role differ.
From Soldier to Politician
Commissioned from the Military Academy's 8th class, he fought in the Korean War and took part in the May 16 coup that opened the way for the Park Chung Hee government. Under military rule he chaired committees such as legal affairs in the Supreme Council.
Party Secretary-General and the Assembly
He won the Geumsan seat in 1963 and 1967 and served as Secretary-General of the Democratic Republican Party for about three and a half years from 1966. In 1970 he was Minister without Portfolio.
The October 2 Defiance
In 1971 he voted for the motion to dismiss the Interior Minister against the wishes of the government and ruling party, and resigned his seat. Accounts of how he was treated afterwards differ, so they cannot be taken as settled.
Grave
His burial place could not be confirmed.