The Troubled History of South Korean Presidents

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Seoul: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faces a second impeachment vote on Saturday, following his controversial declaration of martial law last week.

He is far from the first South Korean leader to be engulfed in scandal and controversy. Below is a look at the tumultuous downfalls of previous South Korean presidents.

2016: Park Geun-hye Impeached and Jailed
In December 2016, President Park Geun-hye, who had been in power since 2013, was impeached by Parliament, with the Constitutional Court confirming the decision in March 2017. Park, the daughter of the former dictator Park Chung-hee, was accused of receiving millions of dollars in bribes from conglomerates, including Samsung.

Other charges included leaking classified documents, blacklisting artists critical of her government, and dismissing officials who opposed her. Park was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2021, but was pardoned by her successor Moon Jae-in later that year. Yoon Suk Yeol, now president, played a key role in her impeachment and incarceration as a Seoul prosecutor.

Lee Myung-bak: 15 Years in Prison
Lee Myung-bak, who served as president from 2008 to 2013, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in October 2018 for corruption. He was found guilty of taking bribes from Samsung in return for favors to the conglomerate’s former chairman, Lee Kun-hee. Lee was pardoned by President Yoon in December 2022.

Roh Moo-hyun: Suicide
Roh Moo-hyun, who served as president from 2003 to 2008 and was a strong advocate for engagement with North Korea, tragically took his own life in May 2009.

He was under investigation over a corruption scandal involving payments from a wealthy shoe manufacturer to his family. Roh’s death remains one of the most heartbreaking chapters in South Korea’s presidential history.

1987: Autocrat Chun Doo-hwan Retires
Military strongman Chun Doo-hwan, infamous for ordering the brutal suppression of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, stepped down in 1987 amid mass protests. He handed over power to his protege, Roh Tae-woo.

In 1996, both men were convicted of treason for their roles in the 1979 coup and the Gwangju massacre. Chun was sentenced to life in prison, while Roh received a 22.5-year sentence, later reduced to 17 years. Both were granted amnesty in 1998 after serving just two years.

1979: Dictator Park Chung-hee Assassinated
Park Chung-hee, South Korea’s longest-serving dictator, was assassinated by his own spy chief in October 1979. The murder set off a series of political upheavals, culminating in a coup by Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo in December 1979. The circumstances of Park’s assassination remain a subject of debate in South Korea.

1961: Yun Po-sun Overthrown in a Coup
Yun Po-sun, South Korea’s president from 1960 to 1961, was overthrown in a military coup led by Park Chung-hee. Although Yun remained in office after the coup, Park effectively took control of the government and replaced him after winning the 1963 election.

1960: First President Syngman Rhee Forced Into Exile
Syngman Rhee, South Korea’s first president, was forced to resign in 1960 after a student-led uprising against his rigged election and attempts to extend his rule. Rhee was exiled to Hawaii, where he died in 1965.

The troubled history of South Korean presidencies highlights the turbulent political landscape, with leaders often falling from power due to scandal, corruption, or public discontent.