Chon tightens his firm grip on country

Lt. Gen. Chon Doo Hwan's resignation as director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) does not mean any appreciable diminution in his power.

He has just taken over as chairman of the standing committee of the Special Committee for National Security Measures, which is expected to be the de-facto ruling organization of South Korea under martial law.

The dour general retains the position that is his real base of power, that of commander of the Military Security Command. This command controls military intelligence and its agents are everywhere in the armed forces, and it compiles and maintains dossiers on all military officers.