South Korea's ex-strongman on trial for defamation April 26, 2020 at 09:48PM

Chun Doo-hwan seized power in a military coup in 1979 and ruled South Korea with an iron fist until 1988, stepping down after mass demonstrations forced him to agree to the restoration of democracy. In 1996 he was convicted of treason and bribery and sentenced to death, but it was later commuted to life in prison.