South Korean Junta Chief replaced (1961)
Seoul- Maj-Gen, Jung Hui Pak, the real power behind the South Korean military coup of May 16, today (July 3) took over as chairman of the Supreme Military Council, replacing Gen. Chang Do Yung who also stepped down as Premier.
Defence Minister Song Yo Chan was named the new Premier after an emergency session of the Cabinet this afternoon.
Gen. Chang said in his resignation that South Korea needed a more aggressive leader who also commanded respect and confidence at home and abroad.
Gen Chang is not under arrest a junta spokesman said.
Both Gen. Pak and Gen. Song are staunch anti-Communists and are thought to be much tougher than Gen Chang.
Along with Gen. Chang, three of his supporters resigned from the supreme council.
At the same time, what was considered to be a mass purge in the army was announced, in which 40 generals and admirals have been relieved of military duty and placed on the reserve list
An announcement said that 30 other army generals, five admirals, three air force generals and two marine generals had resigned voluntarily to pave the way for the promotion of juniors.
The three members of the supreme council who tendered their resignations were Brig.-Gen. Song Chanxhn, Col. Park Chi-ok and Lt Col. Kim Jemin.
Real Leader
Gen Song was the Army Chief of Staff during the 1960 student-led revolution that overthrew Dr Syngman Rhee. He is credited with keeping the army out of the upheaval, thus contributing vitally to his success.
Algerian independence proclaimed (1962)
Algiers-French President de Gaulle proclaimed Algerian independence today (July 3) and the Algerian nationalist premier, Mr Ben Youssef Ben Khedda, arrived here with his Ministers from exile for the eventual take-over of the Government after elections.
It was a glorious return from a long exile which crowned the nationalist victory in a ruthless seven-and-a-half-year struggle for independence, ending 132 years of French rule.
Mr Ben Khedda, the first to leave the plane, raised his hand in a gesture of greeting to a huge throng of Algerians and National Liberation Army soldiers. They responded with a mighty roar of “ Ya Hya Chouhada” (long live the fighters).
Mr Ben Khedda was welcomed by Mr Abderhamane Fares, President of the Provisional Executive, which took power in Algeria this morning from the hands of the last French colonial administrator. ‘I am proud to welcome you on Algerian soil in the name of our flag.” Mr Fares told Mr Ben Khedda and his Ministers.
Nationalist troops in camouflage uniforms, carrying machine-guns presented arms as the leaders walked down the ramp in bright sunshine. They stood ramrod straight as a loudspeaker blared the new Algerian national anthem “Kassman” (We swear).
Mr Ben Khedda said in a lengthy speech in Arabic: “Algeria is independent today, but the battle is far from finished. Independence is not an end in itself. It is a means for achieving the economic and social objectives without which no revolution is worthy of its name.”
US missile hits Iranian airbus with 290 aboard (1988)
DUBAI-AS many as 290 people including seven Indians were killed when an Iranian airbus crashed into the Strait of Hormuz shortly after takeoff from the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas today (July 3).
Teheran charged that the airbus was shot down by a missile fired by the United States naval forces in the Gulf.
The United States said one of its warships in the Gulf had shot down an Iranian civilian airliner by mistake while taking defensive action.
President Ronald Reagan said in a statement he was saddened to report “this terrible human tragedy” and that a full investigation would be carried out by the defence department.