South Korea
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Roh Tae-woo
said
I emphasized that authoritarianism . . . should be removed and that we should renovate both the system and the way of thinking that then prevailed.
— Interview with the Los Angeles Times (23 June 1991)
Roh Tae-woo
President of South Korea from 1988 to 1993
- Fame60.2
- Momentum3.3
- South Korea rank#240
Source-basedStable
- Fame60.2
- Momentum3.3
- South Korea rank#240
- Wikipedia36.9K
Lived 1932–2021, aged 89South Korea
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Summary
Updated 2026-06-08
South Korea's first directly elected president under democratic rule — and later a convicted participant in the military coup and massacre that preceded his own reforms.
Biography
About
Born in Daegu on 4 December 1932, Roh Tae-woo attended the Korea Military Academy with Chun Doo-hwan, fought in Vietnam, and by 1979 commanded the White Horse Division as a major general. That December he played a key role in the military coup that brought Chun to power, then supported the violent crackdown of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980. When Chun handpicked him as presidential candidate in June 1987, mass pro-democracy rallies erupted across the country; Roh responded with the June 29 Declaration, promising direct elections and sweeping reforms. He won in December with a plurality and took…
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Sourced, dated quotes from Roh Tae-woo
Roh Tae-woo
said
I am aware of the recent discussions about creating a nuclear-free zone in the Korean peninsula.
— Interview with the Los Angeles Times (23 June 1991)
Roh Tae-woo
said
North Korea’s recent decision to go along with South Korea in joining the United Nations separately means a change in North Korea’s policy toward the South remains to be seen.
— Interview with the Los Angeles Times (23 June 1991)
Roh Tae-woo
said
The military was the last resort to contain social and political chaos. It would have been very dangerous if the military had faltered . . . .
— "South Korean Candidate Roh Tae Woo Scrutinized On Role In 1979 Coup" in The Washington Post (13 November 1987)
Roh Tae-woo
said
I did not desire to become a politician or a presidential candidate. I think it is my fate, shaped by the conditions of an era.
— "South Korean Candidate Roh Tae Woo Scrutinized On Role In 1979 Coup" in The Washington Post (13 November 1987)
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Fame
Stable60.2
Composite of search demand, mentions, audience & graph footprint.
Score components
Momentum3.3
Historical24.7
Source confidence60.0
Completeness70.0
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- WikipediaHigh confidencewikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
- WikidataHigh confidencewikidata · wikidata.org
- Pantheon 2.0High confidencedatabase · pantheon.world
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