Former South Korean military dictator Chun Doo-hwan dies at 90

Chun had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer which was in remission, and his health had deteriorated recently, his former press secretary Min Chung-ki told reporters

Chun Doo-hwan
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Former South Korean military strongman Chun, who crushed pro-democracy demonstrations in 1980, has died on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. He was 90. (AP Photo/Yun Jai-hyoung, File)

Hyonhee Shin | Reuters
Former South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan, whose iron-fisted rule of the country following a 1979 military coup sparked massive democracy protests, died on Tuesday at the age of 90, his former press aide said.
 
Chun had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer which was in remission, and his health had deteriorated recently, his former press secretary Min Chung-ki told reporters. He passed away at his Seoul home early in the morning and his body will be moved to a hospital for a funeral later in the day.
 
A former military commander, Chun presided over the 1980 Gwangju army massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators, a crime for which he was later convicted and received a commuted death sentence.
 

First Published: Nov 23 2021 | 08:56 AM IST

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