Person1932 – 2021

Roh Tae-woo

13th President (1988–1993). Announced the June 29 Declaration, became the first president directly elected under the 1987 constitution, and pursued Nordpolitik

He took part in the December 12 Incident alongside Chun Doo-hwan. As the Democratic Justice Party's presidential candidate in 1987 he issued the June 29 Declaration and, after the direct-election amendment (the Ninth Constitutional Amendment), won the presidential election. He hosted the 1988 Seoul Olympics and faced hearings on the Fifth Republic in an opposition-controlled National Assembly. In 1990 he formed the Democratic Liberal Party through the Three-Party Merger. His Nordpolitik established relations with the Soviet Union (1990) and China (1992), and in 1991 he oversaw the simultaneous admission of the two Koreas to the UN, the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement and the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. In 1997 the Supreme Court upheld a prison sentence over the December 12 Incident, May 18 and a slush-fund scandal, and he received a special pardon that December.

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8 related events

1
1979December 12 Incidentparticipant
On 12 December 1979 Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo and the "new military" group forcibly detained the martial-law commander and took control of the army.
2
1987June 29 Declarationleader
Ruling-party presidential candidate Roh Tae-woo promised a direct-election amendment and the pardon and restoration of Kim Dae-jung.
3
1987Ninth Constitutional Amendmentrelated figure
A constitution agreed by ruling and opposition parties introduced direct presidential elections and a single five-year term — the constitution in force today.
4
1988 – 1992Nordpolitikleader
The Roh Tae-woo government expanded ties with the communist bloc, establishing relations with the Soviet Union (1990) and China (1992).
5
1990Three-Party Mergerleader
Facing an opposition-controlled National Assembly, the ruling Democratic Justice Party merged with the Reunification Democratic Party and the New Democratic Republican Party to form the Democratic Liberal Party.
6
1991Simultaneous Admission of the Two Koreas to the UNrelated figure
At the 46th UN General Assembly, North and South Korea became members of the United Nations together.
7
1991Inter-Korean Basic Agreementrelated figure
The two Koreas adopted an agreement recognizing each other’s systems and pledging non-aggression, exchanges and cooperation, followed by a joint declaration on denuclearization.
8
1993Real-Name Financial Systemrelated figure
The Kim Young-sam government required by emergency decree that all financial transactions be made under real names.

People who appear alongside

Kim Young-sam1927 – 2015
14th President (1993–1998). Introduced the real-name financial system and full local autonomy; the 1997 currency crisis came at the end of his term
Chun Doo-hwan1931 – 2021
11th–12th President (1980–1988), leading figure of the new military group that seized control in the December 12 incident; tried in 1996 over 12 December and 18 May
Kim Dae-jung1924 – 2009
15th President (1998–2003), the first transfer of power to the opposition by election. Steered recovery from the currency crisis and held the first inter-Korean summit; Nobel Peace Prize 2000
Choi Kyu-hah1919 – 2006
10th President (1979–1980). Acting president after 26 October 1979, then elected by the National Conference for Unification; resigned in August 1980
Kim Jong-pil1926 – 2018
Politician who took part in the 16 May coup, headed the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, served as prime minister and joined the 1990 three-party merger

Themes this person appears in

Changing Unification Policies1948 – 2018
From “march north” to the Panmunjom Declaration — inter-Korean relations from confrontation to dialogue, through joint statements and agreements to summits (up to 2018)