Ex-South Korean strongman Chun Doo-hwan dies at age 90

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Former South Korean military strongman Chun Doo-hwan, who crushed pro-democracy demonstrations in 1980, has died at age 90. Officials say Chun died Tuesday after suffering cardiac arrest at his home. Chun seized power in a 1979 military coup and ruled South Korea for about eight years. He brutally suppressed pro-democracy protests and detained tens of thousands of people to consolidate his grip on power. Official data say about 200 people were killed in a government crackdown in 1980 on protests in the southern city of Gwangju. After leaving office, Chun was convicted of mutiny, treason and corruption. He was sentenced to death but later pardoned.