Ex-South Korean strongman Chun Doo-hwan denies defaming Catholic priest he called ‘Satan in disguise’ over Gwangju massacre

Former president in his memoirs denied the 1980 killings and still maintains they were committed by North Korean commandoes

The 88-year-old repeatedly refused to face trial, with his lawyers saying he had Alzheimer’s disease, despite reports of him playing golf regularly

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Chun Doo-hwan leaves court in Gwangju, South Korea, on Monday. Photo: EPA

Published: 5:12pm, 11 Mar 2019Updated: 10:43pm, 11 Mar 2019

Former South Korean strongman Chun Doo-hwan appeared in court on Monday to flatly deny charges he had defamed a priest who survived a government-authorised massacre of pro-democracy protesters in Gwangju in 1980.

Last year, the 88-year-old twice refused to face trial for the comments made in his memoirs published two years ago, with his lawyers claiming he had Alzheimer’s disease, despite reports of him playing golf regularly. He relented only after the court warned that he might be forcibly dragged from his residence in Seoul to attend trial.

Chun Doo-hwan and his wife Lee Sun-ja (back) leave their home in Seoul on the way to court. Photo: EPA

On Monday, when he turned up at the Gwangju district court some 330 kilometres south of Seoul, he struck a belligerent tone by shouting “Hey, what is this fuss all about?” at journalists and photographers who mobbed his car.

Wearing a black suit and a yellow tie and accompanied by his wife Lee Sun-ja, the grim-looking Chun ignored questions from the media, as 150 protesters lined up outside the court compound, holding up placards bearing slogans and pictures of those killed in the massacre.

About 1,000 policemen were deployed around the court to maintain order.