Roh Moo-hyun

President of South Korea

1 September 1946 Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, Southern Korea

23 May 2009(2009-05-23) (62) Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea

25 February 2003 – 25 February 2008

President of South Korea from 2003 to 2008 In this Korean name, the family name is Roh. His Excellency Roh Moo-hyun노무현 盧武鉉 Official Portrait9th President of South KoreaIn office 25 February 2003 – 25 February 2008Prime Minister Goh Kun Lee Hae-chan Han Myung-sook Han Duck-sooPreceded by Kim Dae-jungSucceeded by Lee Myung-bak6th Minister of Oceans and FisheriesIn office 7 August 2000 – 25 March 2001Preceded by Lee Hang-kyuSucceeded by Chung Woo-taikMember of the National AssemblyIn office 22 July 1998 – 29 May 2000Preceded by Lee Myung-bakSucceeded by Chung In-bongConstituencyJongno (Seoul)In office 30 May 1988 – 29 May 1992Preceded by Park Chan-jong, Kim Jung-kilSucceeded by Hur Sam-sooConstituencyDong (Busan) Personal detailsBorn(1946-09-01 ) 1 September 1946 Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, Southern KoreaDied23 May 2009(2009-05-23) (aged 62) Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, South KoreaCause of deathSuicide by jumpingResting placeBongha Village Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, South KoreaNationalitySouth KoreanPolitical partyDemocratic (until 2003) Uri (2003–2007) Independent (2007–2008) Democratic (2008–2009)Spouse(s)Kwon Yang-sook ​(m. 1972)​SignatureMilitary serviceAllegiance  South Korea Branch/service  Republic of Korea ArmyYears of service1968–1971Rank Sangbyeong (corporal)Korean nameHangul노무현 Hanja盧武鉉 Revised RomanizationNo Mu-hyeonMcCune–ReischauerNo Muhyŏn Roh Moo-hyun (Korean: 노무현 ; Hanja: 盧武鉉 ; RR: No Muhyeon; Korean pronunciation:  ) GOM (1 September 1946 – 23 May 2009) was a South Korean lawyer and politician who served as President of South Korea from 2003 to 2008. Roh's pre-presidential political career was 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. He achieved a large following among younger internet users, which aided his success in the presidential election. Roh's election was notable for the arrival in power of a new generation of Korean politicians, the so-called 386 Generation (people in their thirties, when the term 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 a conciliatory approach towards North Korea, even at the expense of good relations with the United States. Roh himself was the first South Korean president to be born after the end of Japanese rule in Korea. Roh's 2002 election victory also ended the "Three Kim period" (Kim Dae-jung, Kim Young-sam and Kim Jong-pil) domination of South Korea politics since 1970s. South Korea received the highest marks on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index under his administration. The value of the South Korean won against the US dollar was the strongest during his administration since 1997. Due to the strong currency, for the first time in history, South Korea became the world's 10th largest economy and exceeded the $20,000 milestone in nominal GDP per capita during his administration. However, due to his poor performance in economy and diplomacy, Roh was not a popular president, having the worst approval rating on average ever recorded in South Korean political history. His economic policy was often criticized for persisting with certain obsolete economic views and failing certain livelihood issues. There was considerable friction between South Korea and the US. Former Bush administration officials such as Condoleezza Rice and Robert Gates, in their published memoirs, claimed that Roh was anti-American and disclosed that there had been numerous conflicts between the US and South Korea because of Roh's unpredictability. There has been criticism that Roh's anti-Americanism, nationalism, and openness toward diplomacy with North Korea invited criticism from other states. It also led to a decline in some of his popular support, especially among the older generation. Despite high expectations in the beginning, his presidency encountered strong opposition from the conservative Grand National Party and media. They constantly accused him of incompetence, and insulting criticism was frequently published in the media. As a result, many of Roh's policies, including a plan to move the capital and a plan to form a coalition with the opposition, were also attacked and made little progress. After leaving office, Roh returned to his hometown of Bongha Maeul. He ran a duck farm and lived an ordinary life, sharing it through his blog. He also ran a website called "Democracy 2.0" to promote healthy online discussions. Fourteen months later, Roh was suspected of bribery by prosecutors, and the subsequent investigations attracted public attention. Roh committed suicide on 23 May 2009 by jumping from a mountain cliff behind his home, after saying that "there are too many people suffering because of me" on a suicide note on his computer. About 4 million people visited Roh's hometown Bongha Village in the week following his death. His suicide was confirmed by police.