Former South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan dies aged of 90

SANAA, Nov. 23 (YPA) – 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.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Chun died at his home in Seoul. He had suffered from multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, though he was in remission when he died.

Chun, a former military commander, led the 1980 Guangzhou massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators, killing more than 200 people and injuring 1,800 others.

Chun was convicted of treason in 1996. He was ultimately sentenced to death, though this was later commuted to a life sentence before he received a presidential pardon the following year.

E.M