A plan is being considered to enshrine the remains of former President Chun Doo-hwan, whose fourth death anniversary falls in Nov., at his home in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.
A representative from Chun's side said on the 14th, "We are discussing a plan to permanently enshrine the remains in the yard of the Yeonhui-dong residence." His remains are currently placed in an urn and have been kept temporarily at the home for about four years.
Chun, a former president, cannot be buried in a national cemetery because he was sentenced to prison for crimes including insurrection. The bereaved family once pursued a plan to inter him near the Demilitarized Zone in line with Chun's memoir, which said he wanted to "remain even as bleached bones on a forward hill overlooking the northern land and greet the day of unification." In 2023, they made a tentative contract for land near Jangsan-ri, Munsan-eup, Paju, Gyeonggi.
But once this became known, there was local backlash, and the contract ultimately fell through. Since then, Chun's side has not been able to secure a burial site. As a result, they are considering the yard of the Yeonhui-dong residence—where ownership by his wife, Lee Soon-ja, and family has been solidified—as Chun's final resting place.
Earlier, in 2021, the government filed a forfeiture suit viewing the Yeonhui-dong residence as Chun's property under a borrowed name, but on Feb., the Seoul Western District Court dismissed the case, saying the government's claim for the collection of additional fines was extinguished by Chun's death. However, as the government appealed, the appellate ruling in this case is scheduled to be handed down at the Seoul High Court on Nov. 20.
Lee Soon-ja is currently staying at the Yeonhui-dong residence, and a dedicated police protection unit is stationed there around the clock. Families of former presidents can receive protection from the Presidential Security Service for 10 years after the term ends, with a possible five-year extension if needed. After that, protection is transferred to the police.