Jee Man-won

{{Short description|South Korean politician (born 1942)}}

{{family name hatnote|Jee||lang=Korean}}

{{expand Korean|topic=bio|date=March 2017}}

{{Infobox Korean name/auto

|hangul = %지만원

|hanja = 池萬元

}}

Jee Man-won ({{Korean|hangul=지만원}}; born November 20, 1942) is a right-wing South Korean politician and commentator.{{Cite news |last=Shim |first=Elizabeth |date=March 15, 2016 |title=South Korea foundation seeks restitution from right-wing politician |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/03/15/South-Korea-foundation-seeks-restitution-from-right-wing-politician/1021458065510/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |work=UPI |language=en}}

He was born in Hoengseong, Kōgen Province, Korea, Empire of Japan on November 20, 1942.

He is a leading proponent of a conspiracy theory that North Korean operatives had instigated the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, a series of student-led, pro-democracy protests against the military coup that had taken place the year before.{{cite web |url=https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20230112107000054 | title=5·18 왜곡 지만원, 대법원서 징역 2년 확정 |date=12 January 2023 |work=Yonhap News Agency |access-date=7 January 2024 |language=ko}}{{Cite news |author=Choe Sang-hun |date=2021-07-18 |title='Historical Distortions' Test South Korea's Commitment to Free Speech |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/18/world/asia/korea-misinformation-youtube.html |access-date=2025-02-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

Jee was indicted on multiple charges of defamation in 2016 against {{ill|Kim Sa-bok|ko|김사복}} and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju, among others, and sentenced to two years in prison in 2020.{{Cite news |author=Jang Ye-ji |date=February 14, 2020 |title=Conservative commentator sentenced to 2 years for defamation regarding Gwangju Democratization Movement |url=https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/928316.html |work=The Hankyoreh |access-date=2025-02-20}} The courts concluded that "[Jee's claims] had the aim not of determining the historical truth of the May 18 Democratization Movement, but of disparaging and maligning its historical significance and value". He was not subject to arrest until 2023, when the Supreme Court of Korea upheld the lower ruling and ordered his detainment.{{Cite news |author=Shin Min-jung |date=January 13, 2023 |title=Supreme Court confirms 2-year sentence to conservative commentator for defamatory comments on Gwangju Uprising |url=https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1075638.html |access-date=2025-02-20 |work=The Hankyoreh |language=ko}}{{Cite news |date=2023 |title=2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: South Korea |url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/south-korea/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |work=United States Department of State |language=en-US}}