Events from the year 1979 in South Korea.

Incumbents President: Park Chung Hee (until 26 October), Choi Kyu-hah (starting 6 December) Prime Minister: Choi Kyu-hah (until 6 December), Shin Hyun-hwak (starting 12 December)

Events October 3 - Security chief Kim Jae-kyu meets democrat politician Kim Young-sam to discuss the country's future. December 6 - 1979 South Korean presidential election, confirms former prime minister Choi Kyu-hah as the new president.Asia Watch Committee (1986). Human Rights in Korea. p. 31 December 12 - Coup d'état of December Twelfth: Lieutenant General Chun Doo-hwan, commander of the Security Command, orders the arrest of General Jeong Seung-hwa, ROK Army Chief of Staff, on allegations of involvement in the assassination of President Park Chung Hee. A shoot-out at the Army Headquarters and the Ministry of Defense results in Chun and his fellow eleventh class military academy graduates such as Major General Roh Tae-woo and Major General Jeong Ho-yong taking control of the Korean military.

Films The Genealogy Police Story The Rain at Night Water Lady

Births 3 January - Kim E-Z, singer 10 January - Lee Hyori, singer 7 January - Ha Jae-sook, actress 12 January - Lee Bo-young, actress 20 January - Choo Ja-hyun, actress 21 January - Byung-hyun Kim, baseball player 30 January - Nam Hyun-joon, dancer 8 February - MC Sniper, musical artist 16 February - Eric Mun, rapper 21 February - Lee Hee-jin, singer and actress 11 March - Jung Yong-hoon, footballer 29 March - Park Si-yeon, actress 6 April - H-Eugene, rapper 10 July - Gong Yoo, actor 13 July - Lee Jai-jin, musician 28 July - Lee Min-woo, singer 7 August - Kim Jae-duck, singer 4 September - MC Mong, rapper 10 September - MayBee, singer 24 September - Kim Jong-min, singer 10 October - Kangta, singer 2 November - Skull, singer 21 November - Kim Dong-wan, singer and actor 27 November - Shin Hye-sung, singer-songwriter 28 November - Daniel Henney, actor

Deaths October 26 - President Park Chung Hee, 61 (assassinated)

See also List of South Korean films of 1979

References