Kim Doo-han's Waste Protest at National Assembly

At 11:15 p.m. on September 24, 1966, Kim Doo-han, a former member of the National Assembly (1918–1972), was suddenly taken into custody. Ear...

At 11:15 p.m. on September 24, 1966, Kim Doo-han, a former member of the National Assembly (1918–1972), was suddenly taken into custody. Earlier that day, around 1 p.m., he stepped down from his post. As Kim Doo-han crossed the entrance of Seoul Prison, he declared, "The prison is my villa. This is my 45th visit to a prison" (Page 7, September 25, 1966 issue). It had only been eight months since he was released without any charges following his imprisonment in January over the Han-Dok Party insurrection conspiracy case.

Two days earlier, Kim Doo-han had thrown human waste inside the National Assembly, breaching "Article 138 of the Criminal Act: Insulting the National Assembly (Chamber)." The incident stemmed from the saccharin smuggling case involving Samsung's subsidiary Korea Fertilizer. There were allegations that the case was conducted with government backing.

Kim Doo-han, who had departed from the Han-Dok Party and turned into an independent, was granted the opportunity to speak at 12:45 p.m. during the plenary session of the National Assembly on September 22. The positions of State Council members were filled by Prime Minister Jeong Il-kwon, Economic Planning Board Director Jang Gi-young, Finance Minister Kim Jeong-ryeol, Justice Minister Min Bok-ki, and Commerce and Industry Minister Park Chung-hoon.

Kim Doo-han reached the podium carrying a cardboard box. After speaking at length, he remarked, "Because I am not well-educated, I excel at taking action." At approximately 1:05 p.m., he walked toward the seats of the State Council members, holding the box, and declared, "I will hold accountable the ministers who have justified injustice and corruption. The ministers are the ones on trial. This is the sweet treat offered by the people, so let's distribute it fairly!"

Modern newspapers reported the incident in this manner: "Crying out loudly, he abruptly took a container that looked like a water bottle from within the box and poured its contents onto the ministerial seats. Rather than saccharin, dark human waste was spilled, soaking Prime Minister Jeong, Minister Jang of Planning, Minister Kim of Finance, Minister Min of Justice, and Minister Park of Commerce and Industry, drenching their suits." (Page 3, September 23, 1966 edition)

Kim Doo-han was well-known for his "fists." In the colonial era, he served as the leader of a group of young Korean gang members in Jongno. He was proud of being the son of General Kim Jwa-jin, who commanded the Battle of Cheongsanri. He was also seen as a "noble character" who safeguarded Korean traders.

Following the country's liberation, he worked as the inspection director of the Korean Democratic Youth Alliance, which recognized Syngman Rhee, Kim Koo, and Kim Kyu-sik as honorary chairmen. Despite having previously been part of the leftist group, he moved towards the right-wing after a friend warned him, "Aren't you aware that the killer of your father, General Kim Jwa-jin, was a communist?"

He became well-known for violently quelling uprisings led by the leftist group. Throughout this time, the U.S. military administration sentenced him to death. Following the creation of the South Korean government, President Rhee Syng-man granted him a pardon.

Kim Doo-han displayed the characteristics of a "virtuous knight." For instance, during the Rhee Syng-man era, he placed the pension that his father, General Kim Jwa-jin, had received for the Order of Merit for National Foundation, into an orphanage in Uijeongbu.

His daughter, Kim Eun-dong, described the moment her father's funeral cortege went through Uijeongbu: "The orphanage director mentioned he brought the children out for one last goodbye. Seeing those children bow, I couldn't control how loudly I cried." (Page A29, July 1, 2004 edition)

In movies and television series, he is portrayed as a "righteous fist." The film "The General’s Son," featuring Kim Doo-han, attracted 680,000 spectators in 1990, establishing a record for the largest audience at that time. It remained popular with three sequels. The SBS drama "Age of the Outlaw," which tells the story of Kim Doo-han's life, ran for 124 episodes over a period of one year and two months, starting in July 2002, and achieved an impressive average viewership rating of 40%.

Kim Doo-han was chosen as a third-term representative of the National Assembly in 1954, running as an independent candidate in the Jongno-eul area of Seoul. He returned to the assembly for a second term through a by-election for the sixth National Assembly in 1965. Following the "human waste throwing" incident, he stepped away from political life. Despite later taking on a leadership role in a mining company, his business endeavors did not achieve the success he had anticipated.

His daughter, Kim Eun-dong, was chosen as a proportional representative for the Pro-Park Alliance during the 18th general election in 2008. She became the first father-daughter duo to serve in the National Assembly in constitutional history. In 2012, Kim Eun-dong was elected from the Songpa-buk district in Seoul, making her a two-term assembly member, just like her father.

Upon the passing of Kim Doo-han, his obituary described him in this manner: "When national leaders faced difficulties with financial resources while guiding the anti-trusteeship movement, he notably approached affluent Seoul residents who had accumulated wealth during Japanese rule and used physical force to obtain funds. (Omitted) Despite having an independent political career, he was a candid individual who backed the correct cause irrespective of party affiliation." (Page 7, November 22, 1972 edition)