On May 27, former President Chun Doo-hwan, who was accused of defamation in connection with the May 18th Gwangju Democratization Movement, departed to Gwangju to attend trial as a defendant. It has been more than a year since I attended Gwangju District Court as a defendant on March 11 of last year.

On the same day, Jeon left his home in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul with his wife, Yi Soon-ja, around 8:25 am. Jeon, who wore a dark blue suit and a mask in a bowler hat, walked out of his home and went to Gwangju without a word on a passenger car waiting for his wife.

Mr. Jeon has not been present for a health reason since attending a trial on March 11 last year for the recognition newspaper. However, the newly revised court recently canceled Jeon's permission to abstain from the trial at the trial preparation date held on the 6th. In response, Mr. Jeon asked the court to report his intention to attend and to allow his wife, Yi Sun-ja, to be in court as a trustee.

From the early morning of Jeon's home, members of various civic groups and about 100 reporters gathered early in the morning.

The democratic citizens who keep the 5/18 spirit, the 5/18 Redemption Association held a rally in front of the front door of Jeon's home and shouted the slogans such as "Chun Doo-hwan, kneel and apologize to the public", "Go back to the cell" I called it. The Conservative Freedom of the Republic of Korea also held a 'Right-to-Back Rally', crying out, "Why should the former president go to Gwangju and be tried?"

The police struck the police line around their homes and prepared for an emergency, but there were no significant conflicts between the two sides.

In a memoir published in April 2017, Mr. Jeon was accused of accusing Father Jo of false witnessing of his helicopter shootings by falsely accusing him of "a clergyless unscrupulous liar."

Jeon's trial will be held at 2:00 pm on the same day in Gwangju District Court 201 Criminal Court.

(Composition: Joeul Sun, Photograph: Seonghwan Hwan, Hyuncheol Yang, Editorial: Seungyeon Park)