Ex-president’s grandson visits Gwangju Chun Woo-won, a grandson of the late former South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan, arrives at a hotel in the southwestern city of Gwangju on March 30, 2023, to offer an apology to the victims of a 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the city. The 27-year-old was released from the Mapo Police Station in Seoul the previous day after being detained for investigation over suspected illegal drug use upon his arrival at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on March 28. Chun Woo-won has referred to his grandfather as “a slaughterer” due to the military’s brutal suppression of the Gwangju uprising after he seized power through a coup in 1979. (Yonhap)
This was the big news over the weekend in Korea and another one of these only in Korea stories:
Chun Woo-won
Earlier this week, Chun Woo-won, a grandson of former authoritarian President Chun Doo-hwan, shocked many with revelations about his family’s extravagant lifestyles paid for with money from slush funds. On Friday, the grandson again caught many by surprise by using drugs live on a YouTube broadcast from his New York apartment.
The former president died in November 2021 aged 90. Convicted of treason and bribery, he refused to comply with a forfeiture order ― almost 92.5 billion won ($70.5 million) of the money in question remains unrecovered.
The grandson wrote he would “reveal everything” on his Instagram account around 4 p.m. Thursday (local time), and began livestreaming around 5 p.m., according to news reports.
First, Chun apologized for what his family had done and said that he is also a criminal and should be arrested. Then, he mentioned the names of drugs and appeared to use them. He appeared to quickly lose control of his body, shaking badly and rolling on the floor.
The livestream, which had been on for an hour-and-a-half was stopped when authorities entered his apartment and dragged him out. The video has since been removed from YouTube.
You can read more at the link, but I think anyone with half a brain knew the Chun family had long been hiding money considering the luxurious lifestyle they had been living. Based on what he says in the video it appears most of this money is likely in the U.S. where he resides. Hopefully this guy gets the drug rehab and mental help he clearly needs.
You would think that people on Chun Doo-hwan’s side of this debate would just keep quiet because no apology will ever be accepted by the opposing side:
Lee Soon-ja, center, the widow of Chun Doo-hwan, and other bereaved family members enter the Seoul Memorial Park to attend Chun’s cremation ceremony, Saturday. Yonhap
The apology by the widow of Chun Doo-hwan for past wrongdoings inflicted by the former dictator has only refueled the anger of victims of the bloody suppression of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement, as Chun’s side made it clear that the massacre was not subject to the apology.
Former first lady Lee Soon-ja made the apology during Chun’s funeral in Seoul, Saturday, four days after he died of a type of blood cancer. The former Army general, who seized power through a military coup in 1979 and served as president from September 1980 to February 1988, was responsible for the brutal suppression of Gwangju citizens but went to his grave without ever making an admission of guilt or an apology.
In a speech as a family representative, Lee said, “On behalf of my husband, I would like to deeply apologize, especially to those who suffered pains and scars during his time in office.”
Lee’s apology was initially assumed to be for the victims killed in the May 1980 uprising. But civic groups related to the movement, including those of bereaved families, criticized it for being vague and incomplete, saying they couldn’t accept the apology.
Then Chun’s former secretary Min Jeong-ki told local reporters that Lee was not talking about Gwangju.
“Lee clearly said ‘during his time in office,'” Min told reporters hours after Lee’s remark, at Seoul Memorial Park where the cremation took place. He explained that the Gwangju incident took place before his presidency, which officially began on Sept. 1, 1980.
Chun Doo-hwan’s authoritarian grip on power continues to reverberate today and it setback Korean democracy by a decade:
Former President Chun Doo-hwan leaves his house in Seoul to head for Gwangju to attend an appellate court hearing on his conviction for libel, in this Aug. 9 photo. Chun died at his residence, Tuesday. He was 90. Yonhap
Former President Chun Doo-hwan, who seized power in a coup and governed the nation with a firm hand from 1980 to 1988, died, Tuesday. He was 90.
According to Min Jeong-ki, a former presidential secretary, Chun, who had multiple myeloma ― a cancer formed in white blood cells ― died at his home in western Seoul at 8:45 a.m. After he collapsed in a bathroom, emergency services were called at 8:55 a.m. and paramedics who arrived at 9:12 a.m. then confirmed his death. His body was transferred to the Severance Hospital where a memorial altar was set up. Until recently, Chun had been receiving treatment at the medical center due to his worsening health.
“Chun’s last wish was for his remains be buried on high ground at the border overlooking North Korean territory,” Min said, adding the former president’s body will be cremated before being buried at a site to be determined later.
Chun’s death came almost a month after his successor and coup co-conspirator Roh Tae-woo died, Oct. 26.
Cheong Wa Dae expressed regret that Chun died without offering an apology, but offered its prayers for the deceased and condolences to the bereaved family.
Calling out former president South Korean activists throw eggs and flour at a portrait of former President Chun Doo-hwan, outside Chun’s home in Seoul, on Dec. 12, 2020, while calling for Chun to be punished for his role in the deaths of civilians during a crackdown on a democratic uprising in May 1980. (Yonhap)
Ex-president’s statue damaged This photo taken on Nov. 19, 2020, shows a statue of former President Chun Doo-whan at Cheongnamdae, a former presidential retreat, in Cheongju, 140 kilometers south of Seoul, after the neck was damaged by someone with a wire saw. Chun brutally cracked down on the 1980 Gwangju uprising. (Yonhap) (END)
Sculpture of ex-president Civic activists in their vehicles head to the home of former President Chun Doo-hwan, who ordered the brutal crackdown on civilians during the country’s 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju, after holding a drive-thru rally in Yeouido, Seoul, on May 16, 2020. A large sculpture of the former president in a military uniform with his hands bound behind his back was placed on one of the vehicles. (Yonhap)
Not a good look for ex-president Chun considering he is claiming he has dementia:
Video footage of former South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan playing golf, who has been avoiding attending a defamation trial claiming dementia, has sparked public anger.
He has been accused of defaming late Rev. Cho Bi-oh regarding the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising.
Justice Party Vice Chairman Lim Han-sol on Friday released a video clip of Chun playing golf with his companions.
Civic groups, including the May 18 Memorial Foundation, immediately released a statement condemning Chun.
“This is an insult and mockery of history. We can’t really tell how outraged we are now,” read the statement.
“Chun has cited dementia as an excuse to avoid the trial. But the footage clearly reveals that’s false. The court shouldn’t be lenient.”
Protest over remarks by ex-president’s wifeMembers of a civic group lie on the road in front of the residence of former President Chun Doo-hwan in Seoul on Jan. 4, 2019, as they hold a rally in protest over the reported remarks by Chun’s wife, Lee Soon-ja, that her husband is the father of South Korea’s democratization. Chun has faced public criticism of his involvement in the 1980 Gwangju massacre and irregularities during his term. Chun served as president until February 1988 after rising to power in 1980 through a 1979 coup. (Yonhap)
Here is another example of South Korea’s laws that can be used to restrict free speech:
The poster by artist Lee Ha depicting former President Chun Doo-hwan holding a check for 290,000 won (US$250)
Lee Ha gets two year suspended sentence over poster that satirized former President Chun Doo-hwan
The Supreme Court said on Dec. 11 that it was upholding a court ruling issuing a suspended 100,000-won (US$85) fine to an artist accused of violating the Minor Offenses Act by putting up wall posters satirizing former President Chun Doo-hwan.
The sentence suspension system allows those accused of minor infractions to avoid punishment if two years pass without a sentence.Political pop artist Lee Ha (real name Lee Byeong-ha), 47, was indicted for putting up 55 of the posters in the area around Chun’s residence in the Yeonhui neighborhood of Seoul early on the morning of May 17, 2012, the eve of the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement. The images showed Chun dressed in prison clothes and handcuffs and carrying a check for 290,000 won (US$250), which was all the money he said he had at time, despite his corruption while president from 1980-88. [Hankyoreh]
