President of South Korea facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Korea
Presidential standard
Presidential seal
Incumbent Lee Jae Myung since 4 June 2025
Executive branch of the Government of South Korea Office of the President
Style	Mr. President (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Member of	State Council National Security Council National Unification Advisory Council
Residence	Presidential Residence of South Korea
Seat	Seoul
Appointer	Direct popular vote
Term length	Five years, Non renewable
Constituting instrument	Constitution of South Korea (1948)
Precursor	President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
Formation	24 July 1948; 76 years ago (1948-07-24)
First holder	Syngman Rhee
Deputy	Prime Minister of South Korea
Salary	₩240,648,000/USD$ 165,084 annually (2024)

The president of the Republic of Korea (Hangul: 대한민국 대통령), often called the president of South Korea, is the leader of the country. The president is the head of state (the main representative of the country) and the head of government (in charge of running the government). The president is also the commander-in-chief of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

According to the Constitution of South Korea, the president is elected by the people in a direct vote. This means every citizen's vote helps choose the leader. Presidents serve for one five-year term and cannot be re-elected. This rule was made in 1987 to make sure that power changes hands peacefully.

If a president cannot finish their term, a new election must be held within 60 days. During that time, the prime minister or another senior government member takes over the president's duties.

The current president is Lee Jae Myung of the Democratic Party. He took office on June 4, 2025.

History of the Presidency
What Are the President's Powers and Duties?
- Main Duties
- Special Powers
How Is the President Elected?
Who Helps the President?
Removal from Office
Where Does the President Work?
Salary and Perks of the Job
Life After the Presidency
Who Takes Over if the President Can't Serve?
Timeline of presidents
See also

History of the Presidency

Syng-man Rhee, the first President of South Korea

Before South Korea became the First Republic in 1948, a Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was formed in 1919. This government was created to lead the fight for independence from Japanese rule. South Korea's constitution recognizes this provisional government as its historical foundation.

The length of a president's term has changed over the years.

1948–1972: Four-year term
1972–1981: Six-year term
1981–1988: Seven-year term

Since 1988, the term has been set at five years. Also, since 1981, presidents have not been allowed to run for re-election.

What Are the President's Powers and Duties?

The South Korean constitution outlines the president's main jobs and powers.

Main Duties

The president must:

Protect and follow the Constitution.
Keep South Korea and its people safe.
Work towards the peaceful reunification of Korea.

Special Powers

The president also has the power to:

Lead the executive branch of the government.
Command the South Korean military.
Declare war.
Hold a national vote (called a referendum) on very important issues.
Issue special rules called executive orders.
Give medals to honor people for their service to the country.
Grant pardons, which can forgive a person for breaking a law.
Declare a state of emergency during a major crisis.
Veto (block) bills passed by the National Assembly. However, if two-thirds of the Assembly members vote for the bill again, it becomes a law anyway.

If the National Assembly votes against something the president has decided, that decision is canceled right away.

How Is the President Elected?

The president of South Korea is chosen through a direct election by the citizens. This is called a popular vote. The candidate who gets the most votes wins the election. This system is known as first-past-the-post.

Who Helps the President?

The president has a large team of staff and advisors to help run the country.

The Presidential Secretariat is the president's main staff, helping with daily tasks.
The State Council is the president's cabinet. It is made up of the prime minister and other top ministers who lead different government departments.
The National Security Council gives the president advice on foreign policy, military matters, and national safety.

Removal from Office

The Constitution has a process called impeachment to remove a president who has broken the law or the constitution.

Here is how it works:

A motion to impeach the president must be started by at least half of the members of the National Assembly.
For the impeachment to pass, at least two-thirds of the 300 members of the National Assembly must vote in favor of it.
If the vote passes, the president is suspended from their duties. The Constitutional Court then has 180 days to make the final decision.
If the court agrees with the impeachment, the president is permanently removed from office.

Three presidents have been impeached by the National Assembly. Roh Moo-hyun was impeached in 2004, but the court overturned it. Park Geun-hye was impeached in 2016 and removed from office in 2017. Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached in 2024 and removed from office in 2025.

Where Does the President Work?

For many years, the president's office and home was the Blue House, also known as Cheong Wa Dae. It is a large complex of buildings designed in a traditional Korean style.

In May 2022, President Yoon Suk Yeol moved the presidential office to the Yongsan District in Seoul. The Blue House was then opened to the public as a park for everyone to visit. The new office is now located in what used to be the Ministry of National Defense building.

Salary and Perks of the Job

A Code One Boeing 747-8i airplane used by the president for air travel.

In 2021, the president's salary was about ₩240 million per year. The president also gets money to cover the costs of travel and other official duties.

For travel, the president uses special vehicles for safety:

On the ground: A highly modified Hyundai Nexo SUV is the official state car.
In the air: A special military version of a Boeing 747-8 airplane, known as Code One, is used for long flights. For shorter trips, a modified Sikorsky S-92 helicopter is used.

Life After the Presidency

All former presidents receive a lifelong pension and are protected by the Presidential Security Service.

However, presidents who are removed from office through impeachment lose most of these benefits. They do not receive a pension, free medical care, or funding for an office. They do, however, continue to receive security protection.

Who Takes Over if the President Can't Serve?

Article 71 of the Constitution explains the order of succession. If the president is unable to do their job, the following officials take over as acting president in this order:

Prime Minister
Other cabinet members in an order set by law.

If the president's office becomes empty, the acting president must hold a new election within 60 days.

Timeline of presidents

Ideology		#	Time in office	Name(s)
	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	6099 days	Kim Dae-jung, Lee Jae Myung (incumbent), Moon Jae-in, Roh Moo-hyun, and Yun Po-sun