'Military Commander Acquitted of Perjury in Jeon Du-hwan Trial'

Former Brigadier General Song Jin-won (right) attending the press conference on the policy to accuse Father Jo Bio in 1989. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Former Army 1st Aviation Brigade Commander Song Jin-won was acquitted of charges of making false statements that he was not in Gwangju during the May 18, 1980 incident.

The Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 9 (Presiding Judge Kim Doo-hee) acquitted Song (age 90) at the sentencing hearing on the 23rd.

Song was prosecuted for making false statements that he "did not come to Gwangju" during the May 18 incident when he appeared at the first trial for defamation of the deceased former President Chun Doo-hwan on November 11, 2019.

At the closing arguments, the prosecutor demanded a 10-month prison sentence for Song, stating, "The helicopter shooting is historically important and must be clarified, but his irresponsible testimony caused confusion."

On the other hand, Song's defense argued, "It happened 41 years ago, so I had no memory of it," and "After the first trial verdict, I reviewed military records and realized that I had been to Gwangju."

In response, the court sided with Song's claim that the statement was not a false testimony against his memory.

The court stated, "Although the defendant made false statements, the witness examination at that time was only about incidental matters related to memory," and "Considering various circumstances, it is difficult to regard it as false testimony against memory."

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