Annual Event in Gimhae to Pay Tribute to Soldier Who Defied Rebel Forces

Plus M Entertainment

A commemorative ceremony is set to take place on Tuesday in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, to honor the late Lt. Col. Kim Oh-rang. Kim, who lost his life while battling rebel forces during the 1979 military coup, will be remembered at the annual event.

City officials have confirmed that the ceremony will commence at 10 a.m. near a bust erected in Kim's honor, situated between Samjeong Middle School and Samseong Elementary School, institutions from which the deceased soldier graduated. 

▲ Plus M EntertainmentThis annual ceremony has been a tradition since 2014, following the government's conferral of the Order of National Security Merit to Lt. Col. Kim Oh-rang for his efforts to resist the military coup.

Born in 1945, Kim served as an aide-de-camp to Special Warfare Command commander Jeong Byeong-ju during the December 12, 1979, military coup led by then-Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan. The coup aimed to consolidate control over the military and played a crucial role in Chun's ascent to power as a military dictator in South Korea.

Lt. Col. Kim Oh-rang, refusing to comply with the rebel forces, barricaded himself and Jeong in the commander's office, engaging in a gunfight. Ultimately, they were overrun, leading to Kim's tragic demise as he was shot dead, while Jeong was subsequently arrested.

Kim's story gained renewed attention following the success of the movie "12.12: The Day," a historical drama centered around the events of the 1979 military coup. Actor Jung Hae-in portrayed the character Oh Jin-ho, based on Lt. Col. Kim Oh-rang.

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