Roh Moo-hyun
Roh Moo-hyun (6 August 1946 – 23 May 2009) was the 16th President of South Korea. He held the position from 25 February 2003 to 25 February 2008. Before entering politics, he was a human rights lawyer.
Roh’s pre-presidential political career 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. The election was strongly influenced by activists on the Internet, particularly via OhmyNews, the first time this had ever happened in Korea.
Roh’s election was notable for the arrival to power of a new generation in Korean politics, the so-called 386 Generation, (i.e. people in their thirties when the word 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 an assertively nationalist line towards the United States and Japan, and a conciliatory approach towards North Korea. They took up many positions on Roh’s staff.
Despite high initial hopes, however, Roh’s administration quickly became dogged by allegations of incompetence, while Roh’s frequent indulgence in personal clashes with his opponents and critics eroded public support. Conflict would continue throughout his presidency, which was characterized by continuous labor unrest, personal feuds with the media, and diplomatic friction with the United States and Japan. Many of Roh’s seemingly reckless political campaigns, including a plan to move the capital, and a plan to form a coalition with the opposition, also fizzled.
One year and two months after leaving office, Roh became the center of an ongoing bribery scandal. This scandal, the collapse of the “Pro-Roh faction” of politicians, the collapse of the Uri Party and the defeat of its successor Democratic Party in the National Assembly, and the defeat of Roh’s designated successor in the presidential elections, marked a decline in the fortunes of the 386 Generation that had brought Roh to power.
Roh committed suicide on 23 May 2009 by jumping from a mountain cliff, after leaving a suicide note. His suicide was confirmed by the police.
Death
Roh Moo-Hyun died on 23 May 2009 after jumping from a 30-meter (100 ft) high cliff known as Owl’s Rock behind his rural home in the village of Bongha. He sustained serious head injuries and was sent to a hospital in the nearby city of Busan at around 8:15 a.m. (23:15 GMT) and pronounced dead at around 9:30 a.m. (00:30 GMT). According to his lawyer, Roh left a suicide note saying life was “difficult” and apologized for making “too many people suffer.”
The South Korean police later confirmed Roh’s suicide. Current President Lee Myung-bak stated that “the news was truly unbelievable and deeply sad.” The corruption cases were said by Justice Minister Kim Kyung-han to have been formally dropped.
Related posts
Leave your response!