Jeon Du-hwan, First Appeal Trial for 'Defamation of the Deceased' on the 10th of Next Month

Late Father Jo Bio Charged with Defamation... Attendance at Trial Uncertain

Former President Jeon Du-hwan is leaving his residence in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, to attend the first trial sentencing for defamation of the deceased at the Gwangju District Court on November 30 last year. Former President Jeon was charged with defamation for criticizing Father Jo Bi-o, who testified to witnessing helicopter gunfire during the May 18 incident, as "a shameless liar unworthy of being called a priest" in his autobiography. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The first appellate trial of former President Jeon Du-hwan, who was convicted in the first trial for defamation of the honor of the May 18 victims, will be held next month.

According to the Gwangju District Court on the 13th, the first appellate hearing for Jeon will take place on May 10 at 10:15 a.m. in the Criminal Large Courtroom of the Gwangju District Court, presided over by the Criminal Division 1 (Chief Judge Kim Jae-geun).

Jeon was indicted for defamation for criticizing the late Father Jo Bi-o, who testified in his 2017 memoir that he witnessed the military helicopter shooting during the May 18 Democratic Uprising, calling him "a shameless liar unworthy of the title of priest."

The first trial judge, Chief Judge Kim Jeong-hoon of the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 8, sentenced Jeon on November 30 last year to eight months in prison with a two-year probation.

The presiding judge stated that there was helicopter shooting by the military targeting citizens in Gwangju during the May 18 period, and recognized the intent to defame, ruling that Jeon's crime was serious as he published a memoir blaming the victims despite bearing the greatest responsibility for May 18.

Jeon's side later requested a change of jurisdiction to have the appellate trial held in Seoul, but the request was dismissed.

Meanwhile, Jeon's attendance at the appellate trial and the method of public attendance are yet to be decided. Unlike civil trials, criminal trials require the defendant to be present at the hearing to proceed, but in appellate trials, the verdict can be delivered even if the defendant is absent.