Roh Tae-woo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roh Tae-woo
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노태우
盧泰愚 |
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Roh Tae-woo in March 1989
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| 6th President of South Korea | |
| In office 25 February 1988 – 24 February 1993 |
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| Prime Minister | Lee Hyun Jae Kang Young-hoon Ro Jai-bong Shin Hyon-hwak Chung Won-shik Hyun Soong-jong |
| Preceded by | Chun Doo-hwan |
| Succeeded by | Kim Young-sam |
| President of the Democratic Liberal Party | |
| In office 9 May 1990 – 28 August 1992 |
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| 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 |
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| Preceded by | Chun Doo-hwan |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| President of the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee | |
| In office 12 August 1984 – 7 May 1986 |
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| 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 |
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| Preceded by | Kim Yong-shik |
| Succeeded by | Park Seh-jik |
| Minister of Home Affairs | |
| In office 28 April 1982 – 6 July 1983 |
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| 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 |
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| President | Chun Doo-hwan |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Lee Won-kyong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 December 1932 Tatsujō-gun, Taikyū, Keishōhoku-dō, Korea under Japanese rule (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 |
Kim Ok-suk
(m. 1959) |
| Children | Roh Soh-yeong (daughter) Roh Jae-heon (son) |
| Alma mater | Korea Military Academy (B.S.) |
| 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
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| Hanja |
盧泰愚
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| Revised Romanization | No Tae(-)u |
| McCune–Reischauer | No T'aeu |
| Art name | |
| Hangul |
용당
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| Hanja |
庸堂
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| Revised Romanization | Yongdang |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yongdang |
Roh Tae-woo (Hangul: 노태우; Hanja: 盧泰愚; 4 December 1932 – 26 October 2021) was a South Korean politician and army general. He served as the sixth president of South Korea from 1988 to 1993. He made history as the first president of South Korea to be chosen by a direct vote from the people.
Roh was a close friend of Chun Doo-hwan, who was the leader before him. Chun ruled as a military leader from 1980 to 1988. Later, in 1996, both Roh and Chun faced legal issues related to their time in power. However, they were both pardoned the next year by President Kim Young-sam, following advice from the new president-elect, Kim Dae-jung.
Roh led the Democratic Justice Party from 1987 to 1990. He is well-known for helping to pass the June 29 Declaration in 1987. This declaration brought important democratic changes to South Korea. Roh passed away on 26 October 2021, at the age of 88.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Roh Tae-woo was born on 4 December 1932, in Daegu, South Korea. His father was a local government worker who died when Roh was seven years old. With help from his uncle, Roh attended Taegu Technical School. He later moved to Kyongbuk High School, where he was a good student. It was there that he became friends with Chun Doo-hwan.
Military Career
During the Korean War (1950–1953), Roh joined the South Korean army. He started as an enlisted soldier in an artillery unit. He was promoted to Sergeant and worked with a large howitzer gun.
After the war, he entered the Korean Military Academy. He graduated in February 1954 with a science degree. He became an Army 2nd Lieutenant.
Roh continued to rise through the ranks in the military. He fought in the Vietnam War in 1968 as a lieutenant colonel. Later, he became a major general and led the White Horse Division in 1979. Roh was part of a secret military group called the Hanahoe. He supported a major event in 1979 that led to Chun Doo-hwan becoming the leader of South Korea. Roh also helped lead troops during the Gwangju Democratization Movement in 1980.
He held important army positions, including Commander of the Capital Security Command in 1979. He also served as Commander of the Defense Security Command in 1980.
When Roh first joined the military, his last name was written as "No" in English. He later changed it to "Roh" to avoid any negative meanings in English.
Becoming a Political Leader
After leaving the army in July 1981, Roh began his political career. President Chun Doo-hwan appointed him as Minister of State for National Security and Foreign Affairs. Roh also served as Sports Minister and Home Affairs Minister.
In 1985, he became the chairman of the ruling Democratic Justice Party. A very important role he held was President of the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee. He oversaw all the preparations for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. He officially declared the games open.
June 29 Declaration and Presidential Election
In June 1987, President Chun named Roh as the candidate for president from the ruling party. Many people saw this as a way for Roh to easily become president. This led to large protests for democracy in Seoul and other cities. These protests are known as the June Democracy Movement.
In response to the protests, Roh gave a famous speech on 29 June 1987. He promised many reforms, including a new, more democratic constitution. He also promised that the president would be chosen by a direct vote from the people. This speech helped improve his image as a reformer.
In the 1987 election, the two main opposition leaders, Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung, could not agree to work together. They split the votes. This allowed Roh to win with 36.6% of the votes. On 16 December 1987, Roh became South Korea's first president chosen by a direct popular vote.
President of South Korea (1988–1993)
Roh Tae-woo became president on 25 February 1988. His inauguration ceremony was held outside the National Assembly for the first time. This tradition has continued for presidents since then.
His time as president is remembered for two main things: hosting the 1988 Summer Olympics and his foreign policy called Nordpolitik. He kept his promise to bring democratic changes to the country. His government focused on three main goals: making politics more democratic, achieving economic growth fairly, and working towards national reunification.
Hosting the Seoul Olympics
One of Roh's biggest achievements was successfully hosting the 24th Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988. This event put South Korea on the world stage.
Foreign Policy: Nordpolitik
Roh was very active in diplomacy. He gave a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in October 1988. He also met with U.S. President George H. W. Bush and spoke to the U.S. Congress. In December 1989, he visited five European countries.
On 7 July 1988, he started a new foreign policy called "Northern Diplomacy," or Nordpolitik. This policy aimed to build relationships with communist countries. In 1989, South Korea started diplomatic ties with Hungary and Poland. Then, in 1990, they formed ties with Yugoslavia, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Mongolia.
Trade between South Korea and China grew steadily. Trade with Eastern European countries and the Soviet Union also increased. In 1990, Seoul and Moscow opened full consular offices. Roh's actions made North Korea more isolated and marked a big change in South Korea's foreign goals.
On 4 June 1990, Roh met with Mikhail Gorbachev, the leader of the Soviet Union, in the United States. This meeting was important because it ended 42 years of official silence between the two countries. It opened the way for better diplomatic relations. Roh later visited the Soviet Union in 1991.
Relations with North Korea
The Nordpolitik policy also suggested creating a "Korean Community." This idea was similar to a proposal from North Korea for a confederation.
From 4 to 7 September 1990, high-level talks were held in Seoul between North and South Korea. In December 1991, both sides signed an agreement called the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression, Exchange and Cooperation. They promised not to attack each other and to have cultural and economic exchanges. They also agreed to tell each other about major military movements and set up a military hotline. This agreement is praised today for setting up a base for exchanges and cooperation across the border.
In January 1992, North and South Korea also signed the Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. This happened around the same time both Koreas joined the United Nations. Also, for the first time, a unified Korean team used the Korean Unification Flag at the World Table Tennis Competition in Japan in March 1991. A unified team also competed at the World Youth Football Competition in Portugal in May 1991.
Economic Changes and Big Projects
Roh's focus on "economic growth with equity" was popular with the public. However, the annual economic growth rate slowed down. As workers went on strike and demanded higher wages, Roh's government put in place a plan to keep South Korea's export economy competitive.
Despite these challenges, Roh's positive contributions included helping farmers with their debt. He also oversaw the building of 2 million new homes. He also worked to establish public land ownership for the benefit of everyone.
Among his lasting achievements are major national projects that began under his administration in 1992. These include the Incheon International Airport, which opened in 2001 and is now one of the world's busiest airports. He also started the Korea Train Express (KTX) high-speed rail system, which opened in 2004.
After the Presidency
Roh could not run for a second term as president because of the 1987 constitution. He left office on 24 February 1993.
In 1993, Roh's successor, Kim Young-sam, started a campaign against corruption. This led to investigations involving Roh and Chun Doo-hwan.
In October 1995, Roh publicly apologized for having collected large amounts of money in political donations during his presidency. He was arrested in November 1995. Both Roh and Chun later faced legal issues related to their actions in 1979 and 1980.
In August 1996, both former presidents were found responsible for their actions. Roh's sentence was reduced to 17 years in jail. However, in December 1997, both were released from prison. They were pardoned by President Kim Young-sam, following advice from the new president-elect, Kim Dae-jung. Both Roh and Chun attended Kim Dae-jung's inauguration on 25 February 1998.
In March 2006, Roh had 11 national honors taken away from him. He finished paying fines related to his past actions in 2013. After his presidency, he mostly stayed out of politics. He continued to express regret for his past actions until his death in 2021.
Later Life and Passing
Roh Tae-woo passed away in intensive care at the Seoul National University Hospital on 26 October 2021, at the age of 88.
Due to his complex legacy, the government decided to hold a state funeral for Roh. This decision recognized his "significant contributions to the nation's development." However, some people, including victims of the Gwangju crackdown, criticized this decision. The city of Gwangju and other local governments chose not to lower flags to half-mast or set up memorial altars for him.
The state funeral service was held at Olympic Park, Seoul on 30 October. This location was chosen to honor the 1988 Summer Olympics, which were successfully held there during his presidency. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum gave a speech. By law, Roh could not be buried in a national cemetery because of his past legal record. On 9 December 2021, Roh's ashes were buried at Unification Hill in Paju, a town near the border with North Korea.
He passed away about one month before former President Chun Doo-hwan, who died on 23 November 2021.
Awards and Recognition
South Korea:
- Recipient of the Grand Order of Mugunghwa
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Foreign Awards
Malaysia:
- Honorary Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm (1988)
United Kingdom:
- Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
International Olympic Committee:
- Olympic Order
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See also
In Spanish: Roh Tae-woo para niños
