Isunja Lee, Memoir Lawsuit Succession
Final Arguments at Gwangju High Court on May 25
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] It has been confirmed that former President Jeon Du-hwan's inheritance will be solely inherited by his wife, Lee Soon-ja. Additionally, the postponed civil lawsuit for damages related to the memoir will be resumed with Lee taking over.
Jeon passed away with 95.6 billion KRW unpaid out of the 220.5 billion KRW in confiscated funds, which is 43%. However, under current law, unlike debts, fines or confiscated funds are not subject to inheritance. Therefore, Lee will be exempt from responsibility for this.
The 2-2 Civil Division of the Gwangju High Court (Chief Judge Choi In-gyu) held an appellate hearing on the 30th for a damages claim lawsuit filed by four 5.18 organizations and the bereaved family of the late Father Jo Bi-o against Jeon and his son Jeon Jae-guk.
This is the second trial held after Jeon's death. The spouse or children of Jeon must decide on inheritance renunciation, approval, or limited approval to continue the lawsuit, but the trial was delayed as these succession procedures were postponed.
On this day, Jeon's defense attorney Jung Joo-kyo stated, "The deceased defendant's wife has decided to receive the legal heir status solely."
Previously, the court ordered that the succession procedure be completed by March 30 of this year, when the final argument was scheduled, during the trial held in December last year. However, Jeon's side did not apply for succession for the past three months and only informed that the heir had been confirmed on this day.
The defendant side hoped to complete procedural matters at the next hearing after conducting the scheduled final oral argument on this day, but this was not accepted.
The court pointed out, "The defendant side also bears some responsibility for the delay in succession," and added, "It is better to complete the succession procedure and then hold the oral argument rather than appointing a successor and formally concluding at the last hearing."
The court requested the plaintiff side to submit opinions on changes in the purpose of claiming consolation money due to succession and on the subject of publication prohibition. It also ordered additional submissions of grounds for the establishment of the identity and defamation of the 5.18 organizations, given that the memoir does not directly mention the names of the 5.18 groups.
The next trial will be held on May 25 at 2 p.m.
Meanwhile, the first trial court in the civil lawsuit ruled partially in favor of the plaintiffs in 2018, finding 23 claims in Jeon's memoir?such as North Korean military involvement, helicopter shootings, use of firearms by martial law troops, and the assault on Gwangju Prison?to be false without objective evidence. The appellate trial has been ongoing since 2019.
Regarding the criminal trial for defamation of the deceased related to the memoir, the court dismissed the indictment after Jeon's death before the appellate trial's final hearing.
Jeon was indicted for defaming the late Father Jo Bi-o, who testified to witnessing helicopter shootings during the 5.18 incident, by calling him a "shameless liar unworthy of being called a priest" in his 2017 memoir. He was sentenced to eight months in prison with a two-year probation in the first trial.
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