Roh Moo-hyun | |
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노무현 | |
9th President of South Korea | |
In office 25 February 2003 – 25 February 2008 Suspended March 12, 2004 – May 14, 2004 Acting President: Goh Kun |
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Prime Minister |
Goh Kun Lee Hae-chan Han Myung-sook Han Duck-soo |
Preceded by | Kim Dae-jung |
Succeeded by | Lee Myung-bak |
Minister of Oceans and Fisheries | |
In office 7 August 2000 – 25 March 2001 |
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Preceded by | Lee Hang-kyu |
Succeeded by | Chung Woo-taik |
Member of the National Assembly | |
In office 22 July 1998 – 29 May 2000 |
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Preceded by | Lee Myung-bak |
Succeeded by | Chung In-bong |
Constituency | Jongno (Seoul) |
In office 30 May 1988 – 29 May 1992 |
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Preceded by | Park Chan-jong, Kim Jung-kil |
Succeeded by | Hur Sam-soo |
Constituency | Dong (Busan) |
Personal details | |
Born |
Gimhae, South Korea |
1 September 1946
Died | 23 May 2009 Yangsan, South Korea |
(aged 62)
Resting place | Bongha Village Gimhae, South Korea |
Nationality | South Korean |
Political party | Unified Party (1988–1990) Democratic Party (1990–1997) Millennium Democratic Party (1997–2003) Uri Party (2003–2007) Independent (2007-2009) |
Spouse(s) | Kwon Yang-sook |
Religion | Roman Catholicism (Lapsed) (baptismal name: Justin) Mahayana Buddhism |
Signature | |
Military service | |
Allegiance | South Korea |
Service/branch | Republic of Korea Army |
Years of service | 1968-1971 |
Rank | Sangbyeong (Corporal) |
Korean name | |
Hangul | |
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Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | No Mu-hyeon |
McCune–Reischauer | No Muhyŏn |
Roh Moo-hyun (Hangul: 노무현; Hanja: 盧武鉉; RR: No Muhyeon; Korean pronunciation: [no.mu.ɦjʌn]) GOM (1 September 1946 – 23 May 2009) was the ninth President of the Republic of Korea (2003–2008). Roh's pre-presidential political career was focused on human rights advocacy for student activists in South Korea. His electoral career later expanded to a focus on overcoming regionalism in South Korean politics, culminating in his election to the presidency. He achieved a large following among younger internet users, particularly at the website OhMyNews, which aided his success in the presidential election.
Roh's election was notable for the arrival in power of a new generation of Korean politicians, the so-called 386 Generation (people in their thirties, when the term was coined, who had attended university in the 1980s and who were born in the 1960s). This generation had been veterans of student protests against authoritarian rule, and advocated a conciliatory approach towards North Korea, even at the expense of good relations with the United States. Roh himself was the first South Korean president to be born after the end of Japanese rule in Korea.
South Korea received the highest marks on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index under his administration. The value of the South Korean won against the US Dollar was the strongest during his administration since 1997. Due to the strong currency, for the first time in history, South Korea became the world's 10th largest economy and exceeded the $20,000 milestone in nominal GDP per capita during his administration.