김재규 金載圭
Korean military officer and official; the 8th director of the KCIA; principal figure in the October 26 Incident
| Life | 1924 ~ 1980 |
| Era | 근현대 |
| Clan | 김녕 김씨 |
Life & career
Kim Jae-gyu, from Seonsan in North Gyeongsang Province, graduated from the Korea Military Academy and rose to lieutenant general in the army, later serving as commander of the Defense Security Command, a National Assembly member, and Minister of Construction.
Appointed director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency in 1976, he stood at the center of power in the late Yushin era. On October 26, 1979, he shot and killed President Park Chung-hee and presidential bodyguard chief Cha Ji-cheol at a safe house in Gungjeong-dong, Seoul, an event known as the October 26 Incident.
He was arrested immediately afterward, court-martialed on charges including insurrection and murder, and executed in May 1980. Interpretations of his motives and the nature of his act remain divided to this day, and a retrial has been underway since 2024 at the request of his family.
Grave
Neungpyeong-dong, Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province