Last survivor of new military junta's 'core five' dies without apology, May 18 groups say

Groups tied to the May 18 pro-democracy uprising said former Defense Minister Jeong Ho-yong "left this world without ever offering an apology," amid news of his death Sunday at the age of 94 — the last surviving member of the new military junta's core five.

Ko Jae-dae, secretary general of the May 18 Memorial Foundation, said he regretted that Jeong, who was convicted over the operation to storm the former South Jeolla Province governor's office, had died without expressing remorse.

"The spirits of those who died in May, their bereaved families and the wounded — who waited decades for a sincere act of contrition — have been wounded once more," Ko said, adding that the foundation would continue to pursue the full truth of May 18 in order to document the responsibility that figures from the new military junta refused to acknowledge.

Yang Jae-hyeok, chairman of the May 18 Bereaved Families Association, said that had Jeong made a public confession or declaration of conscience while alive, "there would have been an opportunity to reveal the truth of May 18 and to be forgiven." He added that 46 years on, victims continue to live in pain without having received a sincere apology.

Yang also said that Jeong's death could not bury the wrongs of that time, and that "responsibility for all his actions and the truth will remain recorded in history."

Shin Geuk-jeong, chairman of the May 18 Wounded Persons Association, criticized Jeong, saying that "if he had even a minimum of conscience, he should have left behind at least a word of apology to the people," and that his departure without remorse or repentance showed he felt no pangs of conscience.

Shin then urged any remaining figures from the new military junta who felt a sense of guilt to come forward now, calling it "the minimum act of fulfilling historical responsibility."

Yun Nam-sik, chairman of the May 18 Contributors Association, said he had hoped Jeong would shed full light on the truth of May 18, but that ultimately not a single word of apology was received. "With all five core members of the new military junta now gone, it feels as though the opportunity to reveal the truth is disappearing as well, and that is deeply regrettable," he said.

Jeong commanded special forces units deployed to Gwangju during the May 18 uprising in his capacity as special forces commander. In 1997, the Supreme Court convicted him on charges including insurrection related to the Dec. 12 military mutiny and the May 18 uprising.