The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby

  • 3

    K-pop releases for February

  • 5

    Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

  • 7

    Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI

  • 9

    Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process

  • 11

    Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit

  • 13

    Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches

  • 15

    Biohealth geared for growth

  • 17

    Smiling flower, mushroom bomb, zombie: What do Takashi Murakami's grotesquely 'kawaii' creatures tell us?

  • 19

    20 suggestions to improve Google Scholar and motivate global scholars

  • 2

    Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year

  • 4

    Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons

  • 6

    Base taxi fare to rise by 1,000 won to 4,800 won next month

  • 8

    ANALYSISPandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation

  • 10

    SPC opens 120th Paris Baguette store in US

  • 12

    Most people masked up on 1st day of lifting of mandate rules

  • 14

    Hybe acquires 56.1 percent stake in AI sound startup Supertone

  • 16

    NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'

  • 18

    Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun

  • 20

    Korea-US defense talks likely to bring up extended deterrence

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Wed, February 1, 2023 | 04:47
People & Events
Former President Roh Tae-woo dies
Posted : 2021-10-26 16:53
Updated : 2021-12-22 18:44
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Former President Roh Tae-woo takes the oaths of office during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly on Feb. 25, 1988. Yonhap
Former President Roh Tae-woo takes the oaths of office during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly on Feb. 25, 1988. Yonhap

By Nam Hyun-woo

Former President Roh Tae-woo died Tuesday at the age of 88, leaving behind a checkered political career. He was the first Korean president sworn in through a direct election since 1971 and made efforts to broaden the country's international ties as well as introducing the country's National Health Insurance plan.

According to his aides, Roh was being treated at Seoul National University Hospital for a chronic illness, but failed to recover. He had not made any public appearance for nearly two decades after his health weakened following surgery for prostate cancer in 2002.

Roh was the 13th president of Korea serving from 1988 to 1993. Before taking office, he led the Democratic Justice Party, was a member of the 12th National Assembly, an interior minister and defense security commander.

Born in Dec. 4, 1932, in a rural area of Daegu, Roh entered the Korea Military Academy ― after graduating high school ― where he met Chun Doo-hwan, who was president before Roh.

During the early stages of the Park Chung-hee dictatorship (1963 to 1971), Roh and Chun founded a "private military group" called Hanahoe, whose members spearheaded a 1979 military coup, allowing Chun to seize power in the wake of Park's death.

Roh Tae-woo's mixed presidential legacy
Roh Tae-woo's mixed presidential legacy
2021-10-26 21:22  |  Politics
Key moments of ex-President Roh Tae-woo [PHOTOS]
Key moments of ex-President Roh Tae-woo [PHOTOS]
2021-10-26 17:23  |  Photo News

Roh was given a number of key jobs in Chun's authoritarian administration, and named to succeed him during a June 10 "primary" of the Democratic Justice Party.

Former President Roh Tae-woo takes the oaths of office during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly on Feb. 25, 1988. Yonhap
Former President Roh Tae-woo announces the June 29 Declaration, in which he accepted calls for a direct presidential election system, June 29, 1987. Yonhap

However, as pro-democracy demonstrations spread across the country, Roh accepted demands for a direct presidential election system through the June 29 Declaration, and the country's Constitution was amended to introduce this.

Despite the pro-democracy movement, the opposition were divided into multiple factions, thus allowing Roh to become president.

He is remembered by some for his election catchphrase "Ordinary man's era," which he used to dilute his image as a former general and successor to Chun.

During his tenure, he formed ties with socialist states and promoted inter-Korean exchanges. He also introduced a nationalized health service, which these days is regarded as one of the most advanced public healthcare systems in the world for its wide coverage.

Former President Roh Tae-woo takes the oaths of office during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly on Feb. 25, 1988. Yonhap
Former Presidents Roh Tae-woo, second from left, and Chun Doo-hwan, right, hold hands as they stand trial for their role in the 1979 military coup and brutal crackdown on a 1980 pro-democracy movement in Gwangju, Aug. 26, 1996. Korea Times file

Two years after leaving office, Roh ― alongside Chun ― was put on trial for his role in the 1979 military coup and brutal crackdown on the 1980 pro-democracy movement in Gwangju, and sentenced to 17 years of prison terms in April 1997 after being found guilty. He was released from prison on a presidential pardon in December that year.

Following this then, he rarely made public appearances. The last time he attended a public event was the inauguration of former President Roh Moo-hyun in 2003.

Like Chun, Roh did not apologize to the victims of the Gwangju movement, though his son, Jae-heon, made an apology on his behalf last year when he visited the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju and apologized to bereaved family members.

He is survived by his wife Kim Ok-sook and two children: a son Jae-heon who is a lawyer in New York, and a daughter So-young who is a director at an arts museum in Seoul. The latter is currently in the process of divorcing her husband Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group.



Emailnamhw@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year
2US bill introduced to honor Korean War hero US bill introduced to honor Korean War hero
3South Korea, US to expand size and content of joint military drillsSouth Korea, US to expand size and content of joint military drills
4Popular travel YouTuber recalls painful memories of being bullied at school Popular travel YouTuber recalls painful memories of being bullied at school
5Holy Moly concert series brings 4 punk bands to Haebangchon Holy Moly concert series brings 4 punk bands to Haebangchon
6Samsung refuses to cut chip output despite plunging profitsSamsung refuses to cut chip output despite plunging profits
7Yonsei University global forum Yonsei University global forum
8Cyber University of Korea offers online Korean language programs for foreignersCyber University of Korea offers online Korean language programs for foreigners
9IMF slashes Korea's 2023 economic growth outlook to 1.7%IMF slashes Korea's 2023 economic growth outlook to 1.7%
10Korea Exchange to toughen rules against unfair traders Korea Exchange to toughen rules against unfair traders
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby
2K-pop releases for February K-pop releases for February
3Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process
4Smiling flower, mushroom bomb, zombie: What do Takashi Murakami's grotesquely 'kawaii' creatures tell us? Smiling flower, mushroom bomb, zombie: What do Takashi Murakami's grotesquely 'kawaii' creatures tell us?
5Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group