| Former (eleventh) President of the Republic of Korea Date of Birth: 02.02.1952 Country: South Korea |
Geun-hye Park was born on February 2, 1952, in Daegu, South Korea. Her father, Park Chung-hee, served as the third president of South Korea from 1963 to 1979. Her mother, Yuk Young-soo, was assassinated in 1974. Park has a younger brother, Chi Man, and a younger sister, Se Young.
Park graduated from high school in 1970 and earned a bachelor's degree in electronic engineering from Seoul National University in 1974. She briefly studied at the University of Grenoble in France but left after the assassination of her mother.
Following her return to South Korea, Park became involved in her father's political career. She served as an unofficial "first lady" after her mother's death.
Park entered politics in 1998 when she was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the Grand National Party. She led the party from 2004 to 2006, and again from 2011 to 2012. Park was known as the "Queen of Elections" for her success in leading the party to several electoral victories.
In 2012, Park ran for president and was elected with 51.55% of the popular vote. She became the first female president of South Korea.
During her presidency, Park emphasized economic growth, social welfare, and reunification with North Korea. However, her term was marred by a major corruption scandal.
In October 2016, it was revealed that Park had been heavily influenced by her close friend, Choi Soon-sil, who was suspected of having access to classified government documents and exerting undue influence on Park's decisions.
Public outrage over the corruption scandal led to widespread protests and calls for Park's resignation. In November 2016, she apologized to the nation for her actions but refused to step down.
On December 9, 2016, the National Assembly voted to impeach Park on charges of corruption and abuse of power. She was suspended from office, and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn became acting president.
Park was indicted on a variety of charges, including bribery, extortion, and abuse of power. In April 2018, she was sentenced to 33 years in prison and fined 18 billion won (approximately $17 million).
Park remains imprisoned and has continued to appeal her conviction. Despite the scandal, she maintains a small but loyal following in South Korea.
Park is known for her frugal lifestyle and devotion to her work. She is reportedly multilingual, speaking Korean, Chinese, English, French, and Spanish. She has never been married and has no children.