[The Second Take] The 'Gangster-Style Loyalty' of a Politician in Uniform

Clear Rewards and Ruthless Expulsions:
Jeon Du-hwan, the "Politician in Uniform"
Depicted in the Film "Spring in Seoul" Covering the December 12 Incident

"You all could have gone to Seoul National University! You came to the Korea Military Academy because you had no money, no connections, and were poor, so they fed you, housed you, and educated you. Yet, because of the incompetent people ahead of you, you can't earn your stars." This is what Jeon Du-gwang (played by Hwang Jung-min) says to the officers below the rank of colonel in the movie 'Spring in Seoul.' It motivates even desires that didn't exist before. This is the beginning of the so-called 'gangster-style loyalty.'

Jeon Du-hwan valued the principle of definitely rewarding his supporters. He assigned Hana Group juniors to key military positions and gave them promotion benefits. A Hana Group officer who failed to capture a spy was promoted before a non-Hana Group officer who succeeded in catching one.

He skillfully exploited the weakness of people who are moved by small things. According to 'Jeon Du-hwan Still Alive,' written by Ko Namu, CEO of Fact Story, from the early 1960s when he was a major, he consistently collected money for bulgogi from Lee Maeng-hee, former chairman of Jeil Fertilizer, who had been close since childhood, and used it for reunions with his Korea Military Academy 11th class classmates. From the time he was a captain, he did not spend all the gratuities he received from Park Chung-hee. He put 300,000 to 500,000 won in envelopes and gave them to Hana Group juniors. He also advised them not to use it for living expenses but to use it when dining with superior officers or others in their organization.

Jeon Du-hwan approached the opposition similarly when trying to win them over. Jang Tae-wan, commander of the Capital Defense Command, who struggled to rescue Jeong Seung-hwa, martial law commander, was one of the targets. One week before the start of the December 12 military coup, he delivered an envelope through Colonel Heo Hwa-pyung, chief of staff. Inside was a check along with a handwritten note with a fountain pen: "Brother, it’s not much, but I would appreciate it if you could use it to help with your family's kimchi-making."

It was a calculated act disguised as generosity. It might have been a preparatory step to use them like puppets. One can guess by looking at his actions after seizing power. The top contributors to Jeon Du-hwan’s rule were the '3H'?Heo Hwa-pyung and Heo Sam-su from the Korea Military Academy 17th class, and Lee Hak-bong from the 18th class. They assisted Jeon Du-hwan at the Security Command and played a leading role in the December 12 military coup. When the Fifth Republic was established, they all left the military and became secretaries at the Blue House. Jeon Du-hwan checked their growing power. He appointed civilian elites like Park Cheol-eon as aides. Eventually, Heo Hwa-pyung and Heo Sam-su were ousted from the Blue House in 1983.

Jeon Du-hwan ruthlessly expelled anyone who was not on his side. Even childhood friends were no exception. Lee Maeng-hee, who had a falling out with his father Lee Byung-chul, tried to settle in Yeongdeok and start a new life. However, he could not get a bank loan to build a house. He felt betrayed by Jeon Du-hwan. "My attempt to reside in Yeongdeok left me with the wound of losing a longtime friend in my heart."

Jeon Du-hwan claimed during his lifetime that the December 12 military coup was not a coup but an extension of an investigation. He also insisted that he was not interested in politics. A true soldier is competent in security, not politics. He is recognized for combat ability, not political skill. He protects his subordinates to the end. Such aspects are hardly confirmed in Jeon Du-hwan’s footsteps. He seems more like a Confucian patriarch among Hana Group members. Even before becoming the commander of the Security Command, he was a politician in military uniform.