Court to Deliver Verdict Tomorrow in Jeon Du-hwan's 'Defamation of Deceased' Trial... Prosecution May Seek Up to 2 Years Imprisonment

Defamation Charges Against Late Father Jo Bio Who Witnessed 5·18 Helicopter Shooting

On April 27, former President Jeon Du-hwan, who is scheduled to appear in a Gwangju court on charges of defamation related to the late Father Jo Bi-o, is leaving his residence in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The trial of former President Jeon Du-hwan (89), who was indicted for defaming the honor of the late Father Jo Bio in his memoir, is nearing its conclusion.

According to the court on the 4th, Judge Kim Jeong-hoon of the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 8 will hold the final hearing for the defamation case against former President Jeon at 2 p.m. on the 5th in Criminal Courtroom 201 of the Gwangju District Court.

In 2017, former President Jeon referred to Father Jo, who testified that he witnessed helicopter gunfire during the May 18 Democratic Movement in his memoir "Era of Chaos," as a "shameless liar unworthy of being called a clergyman," thereby defaming the deceased. He was indicted in May of the following year on charges of defaming the honor of the deceased.

Although the final hearing is being held two years and five months after the indictment, former President Jeon, who has been granted permission by the court to be absent, is expected not to appear in court.

During the final hearing, after the examination of a witness, a team leader-level investigator from the Ministry of National Defense’s May 18 Special Investigation Committee who had previously been absent twice, the prosecution’s sentencing recommendation and the defense counsel’s closing argument will proceed.

Article 308 of the Criminal Act (Defamation of the Deceased) states, "Anyone who publicly defames the honor of a deceased person by stating false facts shall be punished by imprisonment or detention for not more than two years or by a fine not exceeding 5 million won."

Unlike general defamation, defamation of the deceased requires that the stated facts be proven false for the charge to be established.

Therefore, the main issue in the 17 hearings held so far has been whether helicopter gunfire occurred during the May 18 period.

Prosecution witnesses, including students, nurses, clergymen, and civilian soldiers at the time, testified that they directly witnessed helicopter gunfire in downtown Gwangju or that there were suspicious circumstances suggesting helicopter gunfire while serving in helicopter dispatch units.

However, witnesses for the defense, including helicopter pilots and military commanders at the time, testified that although some armed helicopters were dispatched, there was no gunfire.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.