Roh Tae-woo, ex-South Korean President dies at 88
Ex-South Korean President Roh Tae-woo has died, aged 88. His death occurred on Tuesday.
The late Asian leader was best known for participating in a 1979 coup before proceeding to win the presidency in a landmark democratic election. However, he ended his stormy political career in jail.
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According to the Seoul National University Hospital, Roh passed away while being treated for an undisclosed illness. Roh, who ruled South Korea as president from 1988-1993, was known to have battled many health challenges including cerebellar atrophy for years.
Roh was the son of a poor farmer in Talsong County. During his early years, his family resided near the southeastern city of Taegu. He was educated first at the Korean Military Academy in Seoul and later attended a psychological warfare course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
The deceased began his military career during the 1950-1953 Korean War and was the commander of a combat unit in the Vietnam War.
When former strong man Park Chung-hee was assassinated in 1979, Roh supported his former military classmate Chun Doo-hwan in a military coup that installed the latter in the presidential Blue House. He would be later rewarded with a series of government positions.
About 200 people were killed in the military-led crackdowns in Gwangju, according to government records.
Roh was Chun’s hand-picked successor, which would have assured him the presidency in an easy indirect election.
But months of massive pro-democracy uprisings in 1987 forced Roh and Chun to accept a direct presidential poll that was the start of South Korea’s transition to democracy.
Roh, despite his military background, built a moderate and genial image during the campaign, calling himself an ‘average person.‘
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