Grandson of ex-president Chun Doo-hwan posts May 18 uprising photos on Christmas, says ‘I wish I had never been born’

Chun Woo-won, the 29-year-old grandson of former President Chun Doo-hwan, shared photos honoring the victims of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising on Dec. 25, as he once again expressed guilt over his grandfather’s legacy of violent military suppression. On Instagram, Chun posted childhood photos and videos of himself with Chun Doo-hwan alongside historical images of May 18 victims. He captioned the post with the words “I wish I had never been born.” Chun Doo-hwan, who died in 2021, never apologized for the military’s bloody crackdown on Gwangju citizens in 1980. Chun first drew public attention in March 2023, when he called his grandfather a “murderer” and “criminal” on social media while living in the United States, and accused his family of illegal activities. After returning to Korea, he visited Gwangju, knelt before the graves of victims and their families, and apologized in tears. His gestures did not end there. Chun has continued to express regret, and on Christmas Day he also posted photos of himself spending time outdoors with women believed to be family mem