Roh Moo-hyun

Biography

Roh Moo-hyun (1 September 1946 – 23 May 2009) was a South Korean politician and lawyer who was the ninth president of South Korea from 2003 to 2008. Born in Bongha Village, he rose from a humble rural background to become one of the most unconventional and democratically significant figures in modern Korean politics. He was married to Kwon Yang-sook and went to Jinyeong Daechang Elementary School, Jinyeong Middle School, and Gaesung High School. Remarkably, he passed the bar exam without attending university, a rare feat that gave him an outsider reputation throughout his career.

Before getting into politics, Roh worked as a lawyer focusing on human rights, defending student activists and labor organizers during a time of authoritarian rule in South Korea. This advocacy defined the moral and political foundation of his later career. He eventually joined the National Assembly and was known for taking principled, often politically risky, positions. His campaigns aimed to break the longstanding regional loyalties in South Korean politics, famously running in opposition strongholds to prove this point.

Roh's 2002 presidential campaign was groundbreaking in its use of the internet and grassroots efforts, gaining immense support from younger voters who related to his anti-establishment views. His election brought the so-called 386 Generation to power, a group of Koreans in their thirties who had been involved in pro-democracy movements in the 1980s. He was also the first South Korean president born after the end of Japanese colonial rule, highlighting the generational shift his presidency symbolized.

His time in office saw significant achievements along with considerable challenges. Under his leadership, South Korea reached its highest rankings on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, and the economy grew to become the world's tenth largest, with GDP per capita surpassing $20,000 for the first time. However, Roh faced strong resistance from the conservative Grand National Party and much of the mainstream media. He was impeached by the National Assembly in 2004, though he was reinstated by the Constitutional Court. His policy plans, including relocating the capital from Seoul, faced continuous opposition and only saw partial success.

After leaving office in 2008, Roh returned to Bongha Village. He was investigated for corruption allegations involving his family, which he found deeply distressing. On 23 May 2009, he died after falling from a cliff near his home, in what was ruled a suicide. He was treated at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital before his death. His passing led to an enormous public outpouring of grief, with millions participating in or observing his funeral procession across the country.