Park Jong-Gyu

Park Jong-Gyu studied law and political science at the Graduate School of Keonguk University. He also graduated from Rangers School at the US Army Infantry School in Fort Benning, Georgia (1956-58).

From 1961-63 Park was special assistant for security affairs to the chair of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction in Korea. He then served as director-general of the Presidential Protective Force from 1963-74, making him one of the most powerful men in Korea. From 1978-80 Park was a member of the National Assembly.

Primarily interested in archery and sport shooting, Park was President of the Korean and Asian Shooting Federations and was vice-president of the International Shooting Union. He chaired the Organizing Committees for the World Shooting Championships in Seoul in 1978 and the first World Airgun Championships in 1979.

Park was named to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1984 but served less than two years as he died in December 1985 at only 55-years-old. He had led the Korean bid to host the 1988 Seoul Olympics but sadly never got to see them come to Korea.