He was present at the Blue House presidential compound, site of the assassination of President Park Chung-hee, when it took place on 26 October 1979.

Born on 27 February 1929 in Gimcheon,[2] Jeong Seung-hwa joined the South Korean Army as a conscript in the 17th Regiment and fought at the Battle of Busan Perimeter.

On the evening of 26 October 1979, while Jeong was dining at the Blue House presidential compound, South Korean President Park Chung Hee was assassinated at another facility nearby.

[3] Instead, an emergency cabinet meeting was convened at which Choi Kyu-hah, the prime minister, was declared acting president with Jeong implementing martial law.

As a result, key members of the Hanahoe, such as Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, arrested Jeong on suspicion of involvement in the assassination of Park.