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Chun Doo-hwan at a restaurant in Seoul’s Gangnam District on Dec. 12. (provided by Justice Party deputy leader Im Han-sol)

On the 40th anniversary of a military coup d’état that took place on Dec. 12, 1979, the coup’s leader, Chun Doo-hwan, was found to have enjoyed a shark’s fin lunch at an exclusive Gangnam restaurant with other figures in the rebellion. The gathering appears to have been a celebration of the coup they had carried out 40 years earlier. Footage of the launch was shared by Justice Party deputy leader Im Han-sol, who described the mood as “very chummy and cheerful.” Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly press center that afternoon, Im said, “Ten people, including Chun Doo-hwan and his wife and key [coup] figures Choi Se-chang and Jeong Ho-yong, were seen having a commemorative lunch with wine and high-end shark’s fin at a restaurant in the Apgujeong neighborhood of Seoul’s Gangnam District.”

Respectively the former head of the 3rd Airborne Brigade and the former Special Forces Commander, Choi and Jeong both had convictions upheld by the Supreme Court on charges of participating in the Dec. 12 military coup and suppression of the Democratization Movement in May 1980. Following the passage of a special law on the Democratization Movement, they were stripped in 1998 of the Order of Military Merit honors given to them for their “contribution to suppressing” the campaign for democracy. Researchers believe that the order to open fire on demonstrators May 21, 1980, was passed down along an unofficial chain of command from Chun as Defense Security Commander to Special Forces Commander Jeong, and from there to Choi as Airborne Brigade leader.

Chun’s lunch on Dec. 12 lasted for around two hours. While he has cited symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in refusing to appear in court for trials related to the Gwangju Democratization Movement, he appeared unimpaired as he conversed with acquaintances in the video.

Chun Doo-hwan at a restaurant in Seoul’s Gangnam District on Dec. 12. (provided by Justice Party deputy leader Im Han-sol)

“Over a two-hour period beginning at noon, several toasts were exchanged, and Chun led much of the conversation speaking in a loud voice,” Im said.

“The menu was a course costing over 200,000 won [US$170.89] per person, and it was confirmed to have included wine and high-end shark’s fin,” he explained, adding that the specific content of the attendees’ conversation could not be determined.

As Chun was leaving after the meal, Im asked him whether he did not think it was “inappropriate to have a commemorative lunch today in light of the Dec. 12 ,” adding that he had been “roughly subdued” by members of Chun’s party.

“Chun and his wife exited while someone was covering my mouth,” he reported.

Last month, Im released video footage showing Chun playing golf with acquaintances at a course in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province. Appearing healthy as he uses his club, Chun can be seen in the video asking Im, “What have I got to do with Gwangju?” Chun was previously referred to trial on charges of defamation regarding the late Catholic priest Cho Pius, who testified about shots being fired from martial army helicopters during the events of May 1980. But after attending one hearing in March, Chun received permission from the court to be absent from future hearings. Prosecutors have requested the court to rescind that permission when Chun failed to appear in court in November after the golfing video was made public.

By Lee Ji-hye, staff reporter

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