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List of presidents of South Korea facts for kids

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Presidential standard and seal of the president of the Republic of Korea

The President of South Korea is the main leader of the government. They are also the head of the military.

South Korea's government sees the Korean Provisional Government (KPG) as its early beginning. The KPG was formed in 1919 in Shanghai. This happened when Korea was under Japanese rule. The KPG had nine different leaders from 1919 to 1948.

Today, under the 1988 Constitution, a president serves for five years. They cannot be elected again. To be president, a person must be a South Korean citizen. They must also be at least 40 years old. They need to have lived in South Korea for five years.

Over time, the rules for presidents have changed. In the past, terms were four years. Sometimes, presidents could serve more than one term. Later, the rules changed to six or seven-year terms. Now, it is a single five-year term.

As of 2025, fourteen people have been president of South Korea. The first was Syngman Rhee. He took office on July 24, 1948. He was chosen by the National Assembly.

The president who served the longest was Park Chung Hee. He was president for 18 years. His time in office began in 1961. It ended in 1979. His daughter, Park Geun-hye, was the first and only woman president. She was elected in 2012. Her term ended early in 2017 after a special court decision.

Lee Jae Myung became president on June 4, 2025. This happened after his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, left office early. Mr. Yoon's duties were paused in December 2024. A court confirmed his term had ended in April 2025. Mr. Lee was then elected in the 2025 presidential election.

Understanding the President's Role

Political Parties

     Conservative (like the current People Power Party)      Liberal (like the current Democratic Party)      Military      Independent (not part of a major party)

Status
     Means an acting president (filling in temporarily)
No. Picture Name
(Born–Died)
Time in Office Political Party Election
Started Ended How Long
Leaders during the US Military Government
1
Rhee Syng-Man in 1948
Portrait of Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee
이승만
李承晩

(1875–1965)
24 July 1948 15 August 1948 22 days NARRKI 1st (1948)
Presidents of the First Republic
(1)
Rhee Syng-Man in 1948
Portrait of Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee
이승만
李承晩

(1875–1965)
15 August 1948 27 April 1960 11 years, 256 days NARRKI
Liberal
2nd (1952)
3rd (1956)
March 1960
Heo Jeong
Portrait of Ho Chong
Ho Chong
허정
許政

(1896–1988)
Acting
27 April 1960 15 June 1960 49 days Independent
Presidents of the Second Republic
Heo Jeong
Portrait of Ho Chong
Ho Chong
허정
許政

(1896–1988)
Acting
15 June 1960 15 June 1960 0 days Independent
Kwak Sang Hoon
Portrait of Kwak Sang-hoon
Kwak Sang-hoon
곽상훈
郭尙勳

(1896–1980)
Acting
16 June 1960 23 June 1960 7 days Democratic
Heo Jeong
Portrait of Ho Chong
Ho Chong
허정
許政

(1896–1988)
Acting
23 June 1960 7 August 1960 45 days Independent
백낙준 의원
Portrait of Baek Nak-jun
Baek Nak-jun
백낙준
白樂濬

(1895–1985)
Acting
8 August 1960 12 August 1960 4 days
2
Yun Po-sun (3x4 cropped)
Portrait of Yun Po-sun
Yun Po-sun
윤보선
尹潽善

(1897–1990)
13 August 1960 16 May 1961 276 days Democratic 4th (August 1960)
Presidents under the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction (SCNR)
(2)
Yun Po-sun (3x4 cropped)
Portrait of Yun Po-sun
Yun Po-sun
윤보선
尹潽善

(1897–1990)
16 May 1961 24 March 1962 312 days Democratic
New Democratic
Park Chung-hee 1963's
Portrait of General Park Chung Hee
General
Park Chung Hee
박정희
朴正熙

(1917–1979)
Acting
24 March 1962 17 December 1963 1 year, 268 days Military
Democratic Republican
President of the Third Republic
3
Park Chung Hee (박정희) Presidential Portrait
Portrait of Park Chung Hee
Park Chung Hee
박정희
朴正熙

(1917–1979)
17 December 1963 21 November 1972 8 years, 340 days Democratic Republican 5th (1963)
6th (1967)
7th (1971)
Presidents of the Fourth Republic
(3)
Park Chung Hee (박정희) Presidential Portrait
Portrait of Park Chung Hee
Park Chung Hee
박정희
朴正熙

(1917–1979)
21 November 1972 26 October 1979 6 years, 339 days Democratic Republican 8th (1972)
9th (1978)
Presidents of the Republic Of Korea (4261836786) Choi
Portrait of Choi Kyu-hah
Choi Kyu-hah
최규하
崔圭夏

(1919–2006)
26 October 1979 6 December 1979 41 days Independent
4 6 December 1979 16 August 1980 254 days 10th (1979)
Park Choong-hoon
박충훈
朴忠勳

(1919–2001)
Acting
16 August 1980 1 September 1980 16 days Democratic Republican
5
Chun Doo-hwan (전두환) Presidential Portrait
Portrait of Chun Doo-hwan
Chun Doo-hwan
전두환
全斗煥

(1931–2021)
1 September 1980 24 February 1981 176 days Military
(Hanahoe)
Democratic Justice
(Hanahoe)
11th (1980)
President of the Fifth Republic
(5)
Chun Doo-hwan (전두환) Presidential Portrait
Portrait of Chun Doo-hwan
Chun Doo-hwan
전두환
全斗煥

(1931–2021)
25 February 1981 24 February 1988 6 years, 364 days Democratic Justice
(Hanahoe)
12th (1981)
Presidents of the Sixth Republic
6
Roh Tae-woo March 1989 (3x4)
Portrait of Roh Tae-woo
Roh Tae-woo
노태우
盧泰愚

(1932–2021)
25 February 1988 24 February 1993 4 years, 365 days Democratic Justice
(Hanahoe)
Democratic Liberal
(Hanahoe)
Independent
(Hanahoe)
13th (1987)
7
Kim Young-sam presidential portrait
Portrait of Kim Young-sam
Kim Young-sam
김영삼
金泳三

(1927–2015)
25 February 1993 24 February 1998 4 years, 364 days Democratic Liberal
New Korea
Independent
14th (1992)
8
Kim Dae-jung presidential portrait
Portrait of Kim Dae-jung
Kim Dae-jung
김대중
金大中

(1924–2009)
25 February 1998 24 February 2003 4 years, 364 days National Congress
Millennium Democratic
Independent
15th (1997)
9
Roh Moo-hyun presidential portrait
Portrait of Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun
노무현
盧武鉉

(1946–2009)
25 February 2003 12 March 2004 1 year, 16 days Millennium Democratic
Independent
16th (2002)
Goh Kun 2003-11-08
Portrait of Goh Kun
Goh Kun
고건
高建

(born 1938)
Acting
12 March 2004 14 May 2004 63 days Millennium Democratic
(9)
Roh Moo-hyun presidential portrait
Portrait of Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun
노무현
盧武鉉

(1946–2009)
14 May 2004 24 February 2008 3 years, 286 days Uri
Independent
10
Lee Myung-bak presidential portrait
Portrait of Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak
이명박
李明博

(born 1941)
25 February 2008 24 February 2013 4 years, 365 days Grand National
Saenuri
17th (2007)
11
Park Geun-hye presidential portrait
Portrait of Park Geun-hye
Park Geun-hye
박근혜
朴槿惠

(born 1952)
25 February 2013 10 March 2017 4 years, 13 days Saenuri
Liberty Korea
18th (2012)
Hwang Kyo-ahn December 2016
Portrait of Hwang Kyo-ahn
Hwang Kyo-ahn
황교안
黃敎安

(born 1957)
Acting
9 December 2016 9 May 2017 151 days Independent
12
-UNGA (48784859817) (cropped) (2)
Portrait of Moon Jae-in
Moon Jae-in
문재인
文在寅

(born 1953)
10 May 2017 9 May 2022 4 years, 364 days Democratic 19th (2017)
13
South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol portrait
Portrait of Yoon Suk Yeol
Yoon Suk Yeol
윤석열
尹錫悅

(born 1960)
10 May 2022 4 April 2025 2 years, 329 days People Power 20th (2022)
Prime Minister of South Korea HAN Duck-soo 20240516 (cropped)
Portrait of Han Duck-soo
Han Duck-soo
한덕수
韓悳洙

(born 1949)
Acting
14 December 2024 27 December 2024 13 days Independent
Choi Sang-mok 20240816
Portrait of Choi Sang-mok
Choi Sang-mok
최상목
崔相穆

(born 1963)
Acting
27 December 2024 24 March 2025 87 days Independent
Prime Minister of South Korea HAN Duck-soo 20240516 (cropped)
Portrait of Han Duck-soo
Han Duck-soo
한덕수
韓悳洙

(born 1949)
Acting
24 March 2025 1 May 2025 38 days Independent
President Lee Ju-ho
Portrait of Lee Ju-ho
Lee Ju-ho
이주호
李周浩

(born 1961)
Acting
2 May 2025 3 June 2025 32 days Independent
14
President Lee Jae-myung 2025 (cropped)
Portrait of Lee Jae Myung
Lee Jae Myung
이재명
李在明

(born 1963)
4 June 2025 Incumbent 41 days Democratic 21st (2025)

Timeline of Leaders

Lee Jae Myung Lee Ju-ho Choi Sang-mok Han Duck-soo Yoon Suk Yeol Moon Jae-in Hwang Kyo-ahn Park Geun-hye Lee Myung-bak Goh Kun Roh Moo-hyun Kim Dae-jung Kim Young-sam Roh Tae-woo Chun Doo-hwan Park Choong-hoon Choi Kyu-hah Park Chung Hee Yun Po-sun Baek Nak-jun Kwak Sang-hoon Ho Chong Syngman Rhee
Main Political Idea How Many Total Time in Office Names of Presidents
Conservative 9 21765 days Choi Kyu-hah, Chun Doo-hwan, Kim Young-sam, Lee Myung-bak, Park Chung Hee, Park Geun-hye, Roh Tae-woo, Syngman Rhee, and Yoon Suk Yeol
Liberal 5 Expression error: Unexpected < operator. days Kim Dae-jung, Moon Jae-in, Roh Moo-hyun, Yun Po-sun, and Lee Jae Myung
Timeline of South Korean governments
Yoon Suk Yeol Moon Jae-in Park Geun-hye Lee Myung-bak Roh Moo-hyun Kim Dae-jung Kim Young-sam Roh Tae-woo Chun Doo-hwan Choi Kyu-hah Park Chung Hee Yun Po-sun Syngman Rhee Sixth Republic of South Korea Fifth Republic of Korea Fourth Republic of Korea Third Republic of Korea Supreme Council for National Reconstruction Second Republic of Korea First Republic of Korea United States Army Military Government in Korea

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Presidentes de Corea del Sur para niños

  • Government of South Korea
  • Lifespan timeline of presidents of South Korea
  • List of monarchs of Korea
  • List of presidents of South Korea by time in office
  • List of presidents of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
  • List of prime ministers of South Korea
  • Presidential elections in South Korea
  • Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
  • Vice President of South Korea
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