Ex-President Chun Hospitalized for 'Cancer Treatment'

Former putschist President Chun Doo-hwan has been hospitalized after collapsing during his trial for defamation last week.

Chun (90) apparently suffers from multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, but Yonsei University's Severance Hospital in Seoul is conducting follow-up tests to be sure, sources said Sunday.

On Aug. 9, Chun appeared in a Gwangju court in an appeals trial for defaming the late activist priest Cho Chul-hyun but left the courtroom after 25 minutes complaining of breathing difficulties.

Prosecutors are appealing a suspended sentence given to Chun for defaming the priest, who gave an eyewitness account of the 1980 Gwangju massacre of democracy activists that happened at Chun's orders.