Jeon Du-hwan's grandson Jeon Woo-won, the first among the Jeon family to visit the 5·18 cemetery

Public Meeting with 5·18 Group Officials on the Morning of the 31st

Plan to Move to National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery for Flower Offering and Tribute

Woo Won, the grandson of the late Jeon Du-hwan, a key figure in the May 1980 Gwangju massacre, apologizes to the spirits of May. This is the first time a direct family member of Jeon Du-hwan has visited the National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery, and if the scope is extended to include Roh Tae-woo, it is the second time following the visit of his son Jae-heon.

The 5·18 Memorial Foundation and May organizations (the Bereaved Families Association, the Injured Association, and the Merit Association) held a meeting on the morning of the 30th to discuss Woo Won’s schedule.

Jeon Woo-won, who was questioned by the police immediately upon arrival, came down to Gwangju right away and is expressing his feelings in front of his accommodation. Photo by Yoon Ja-min

On the 31st, around 10 a.m., Woo Won plans to meet with 5·18 bereaved families and victims to hear their voices, followed by a press conference.

He will then move to the National 5·18 Democratic Cemetery to pay respects at the grave of Kim Kyung-chul, the first victim of 5·18, and at the grave of Jeon Je-su, who died at the age of 12 due to friendly fire by martial law troops. He also plans to visit the graves of the missing persons.

Woo Won, who voluntarily returned to Korea expressing a desire to apologize to the victims and bereaved families of 5·18, was immediately arrested by the police on drug use charges upon arrival, underwent about 38 hours of investigation, and then headed straight to Gwangju.

This course of action by Woo Won is quite different from the attitude shown by the Jeon family, who had consistently ignored the 5·18 issue. Jeon Du-hwan, responsible for the forced suppression of the 5·18 democratization movement, never apologized to the victims and bereaved families until his death in November 2021. Moreover, he consistently avoided responsibility with remarks such as "What does Gwangju have to do with me?"

The only direct family member of Jeon Du-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, key figures of the new military regime during 5·18, to have visited the May spirits and apologized is Roh Tae-woo’s son, Jae-heon. Starting with his visit to the 5·18 Democratic Cemetery on August 23, 2019, Jae-heon has visited Gwangju several times and expressed, "I apologize on behalf of my father."