Roh Tae-woo
Roh Tae-woo (Korean: 노태우; Hanja: 盧泰愚; Korean pronunciation: [no.tʰɛ̝.u]; 4 December 1932 – 26 October 2021) was a South Korean politician and army general who served as the 6th (13th election) president of South Korea from 1988 to 1993. He was the first democratically elected president of South Korea.
Roh Tae-woo | |
|---|---|
노태우 盧泰愚 | |
Roh Tae-woo in March 1989 | |
| 6th President of South Korea | |
| In office 25 February 1988 – 24 February 1993 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Chun Doo-hwan |
| Succeeded by | Kim Young-sam |
| President of the Democratic Liberal Party | |
| In office 9 May 1990 – 28 August 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Kim Young-sam |
| President of the Democratic Justice Party | |
| In office 5 August 1987 – 2 February 1990 Acting: 10 July 1987 – 5 August 1987 | |
| Preceded by | Chun Doo-hwan |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| President of the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee | |
| In office 12 August 1984 – 7 May 1986 | |
| IOC President | Juan Antonio Samaranch |
| Preceded by | Peter Ueberroth |
| Succeeded by | Park Seh-jik |
| Chair of the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee | |
| In office 11 July 1983 – 7 May 1986 | |
| Preceded by | Kim Yong-shik |
| Succeeded by | Park Seh-jik |
| Minister of Home Affairs | |
| In office 28 April 1982 – 6 July 1983 | |
| President | Chun Doo-hwan |
| Preceded by | Suh Jong-hwa |
| Succeeded by | Chu Yong-bok |
| Minister of Sports | |
| In office 20 March 1982 – 28 April 1982 | |
| President | Chun Doo-hwan |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Lee Won-kyong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 December 1932 Tatsujō-gun, Taikyū, Keishōhoku-dō, Japanese Korea (now Dong-gu, Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea) |
| Died | 26 October 2021 (aged 88) Seoul, South Korea |
| Resting place | Paju Unification Hill, Paju |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic Justice (1980–1990) Democratic Liberal (1990–1992) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Roh Soh-yeong (daughter) Roh Jae-heon (son) |
| Alma mater | Korea Military Academy (BS) |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | South Korea |
| Branch/service | Republic of Korea Army |
| Years of service | 1950–1981 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | 9th Infantry Division, Capital Defense Command, Defense Security Command |
| Battles/wars | Korean War Vietnam War |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 노태우 |
| Hanja | 盧泰愚 |
| Revised Romanization | No Tae(-)u |
| McCune–Reischauer | No T'aeu |
| Art name | |
| Hangul | 용당 |
| Hanja | 庸堂 |
| Revised Romanization | Yongdang |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yongdang |
Roh was a close ally and friend of Chun Doo-hwan, the predecessor leader of the country who ruled as an unelected military dictator from 1980 to 1988, and unofficially since 1979. In 1996, both leaders were sentenced for their roles in orchestrating coups as well as their subsequent human rights abuses such as the Gwangju Massacre, but were pardoned the following year by Kim Young-sam on advice of president-elect Kim Dae-jung.
He was a leader of the Democratic Justice Party from 1987 to 1990 and was known for having passed the June 29 Declaration in 1987 as the leader of the party. Roh died on 26 October 2021, at the age of 88.