Jeon Du-hwan Passes Away... 5·18 Defamation Appeal Trial Nears Conclusion

Former President Jeon Du-hwan leaving his home in Yeonhui-dong to attend the appellate trial held in Gwangju on August 9 this year. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Former President Jeon Du-hwan, who was indicted for defaming the late Father Cho Bi-o, passed away on the morning of the 23rd, which is expected to bring changes to the trial.

According to the legal community on the 23rd, Jeon’s 7th hearing was scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. on the 29th in Courtroom 201.

However, with Jeon’s death on that day, the trial is expected to be concluded.

The Gwangju District Court’s 1st Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Kim Jae-geun), which handled the case, will review the death certificate and other documents and soon decide whether to dismiss the indictment.

Jeon was non-custodially indicted for defamation of a deceased person after describing the late Father Cho Bi-o, who testified in his 2017 memoir that he witnessed helicopter gunfire during the May 18 Democratic Movement, as a “Satan wearing a mask” and a “shameless liar.”

In the first trial, Jeon was sentenced to 8 months in prison with a 2-year probation, after which he appealed on the grounds of “misunderstanding of facts,” and the prosecution also appealed, arguing that “the sentence was too light.”

He appeared for the first time at the appellate trial on August 9 but left after 20 minutes, complaining of breathing difficulties. His face looked gaunt and he appeared weak.

Jeon returned to Seoul, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, and was discharged on August 25 to receive treatment at home.

On the morning of the day, around 8:55 a.m., he collapsed in his home bathroom, was transferred to Sinchon Severance Hospital, and ultimately passed away at the age of 90.

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