View source for Roh Tae-woo

{{Short description|President of South Korea from 1988 to 1993}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Roh (name)|Roh]]||lang=Korean}}
{{Expand Korean|topic=bio|date=March 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[His Excellency]]
| native_name         = {{nobold|노태우}}
| native_name_lang    = ko
| image               = File:Roh Tae-woo - cropped, 1989-Mar-13.jpg
| office              = President of South Korea
| caption             = Roh in 1989
| primeminister       = {{plainlist|
* [[Lee Hyun-jae]]
* [[Kang Young-hoon]]
* [[Ro Jai-bong]]
* [[Chung Won-shik]]
* [[Hyun Soong-jong]]
}}
| term_start          = 25 February 1988
| term_end            = 24 February 1993
| predecessor         = [[Chun Doo-hwan]]
| successor           = [[Kim Young-sam]]
| office1             = President of the [[Democratic Liberal Party (South Korea)|Democratic Liberal Party]]
| term_start1         = 9 May 1990
| term_end1           = 28 August 1992
| predecessor1        = ''Position established''
| successor1          = [[Kim Young-sam]]
| office2             = President of the [[Democratic Justice Party]]
| term_start2         = 5 August 1987
| term_end2           = 22 February 1990
| predecessor2        = [[Chun Doo-hwan]]
| successor2          = ''Position abolished''
| office3             = [[President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games|President]] of the [[Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee]]
| term_start3         = 12 August 1984
| term_end3           = 7 May 1986
| predecessor3        = [[Peter Ueberroth]]
| successor3          = [[Park Seh-jik]]
| 1blankname3         = [[President of the International Olympic Committee|IOC President]]
| 1namedata3          = [[Juan Antonio Samaranch]]
| office4             = Chair of the [[Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee]]
| term_start4         = 11 July 1983
| term_end4           = 7 May 1986
| predecessor4        = [[Kim Yong-shik]]
| successor4          = Park Seh-jik
| office5             = [[Ministry of the Interior and Safety (South Korea)|Minister of Home Affairs]]
| term_start5         = 28 April 1982
| term_end5           = 6 July 1983
| president5          = [[Chun Doo-hwan]]
| predecessor5        = Suh Jong-hwa
| successor5          = Chu Yong-bok
| office6             = [[Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (South Korea)|Minister of Sports]]
| term_start6         = 20 March 1982
| term_end6           = 28 April 1982
| president6          = [[Chun Doo-hwan]]
| predecessor6        = ''Position established''
| successor6          = Lee Won-kyong
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1932|12|4|df=y}}{{efn|name = BD|At least one source<ref>{{cite news|url = https://sedaily.com/NewsView/22SW4717EH|script-title=ko:노태우 전 대통령 '별세' 향년 89세···굴곡진 생애|work=[[The Seoul Economy Daily]]|date = 26 October 2021|accessdate = 26 October 2021}}</ref> says that Roh was born on 17 August 1932, making his age at death 89.}}
| birth_place         = [[Dalseong County]], [[Daegu]], [[Korea under Japanese rule|Korea, Empire of Japan]]
| death_date          = {{death date and age|df=yes|2021|10|26|1932|12|4}}
| death_place         = [[Seoul]], South Korea
| resting_place       = Paju Unification Hill, [[Paju]]
| party               = [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| otherparty          = [[Democratic Justice Party|Democratic Justice]] (1980&ndash;1990)<br />[[New Korea Party|Democratic Liberal]] (1990&ndash;1992)
| spouse              = {{marriage|[[Kim Ok-suk]]|1959}}
| children            = [[Roh Soh-yeong]] (daughter)<br />Roh Jae-heon (son)
| alma_mater          = [[Korea Military Academy]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])
| signature           = Roh Tae-Woo signature.svg
| footnotes           = 
| allegiance          = South Korea
| rank                = [[Daejang|General]]
| branch              = [[Republic of Korea Army]]
| serviceyears        = 1950&ndash;1981
| battles             = [[Korean War]]<br />[[Vietnam War]]
| commands            = [[9th Infantry Division (Republic of Korea)|9th Infantry Division]], Capital Defense Command, [[Defense Security Command]]
| module              = {{Infobox Korean name/auto
|headercolor = lavender
|hangul = %노태우
|hanja = 盧泰愚
|hangulho=%_용당
|hanjaho=庸堂
| child  = yes}}
| term2               = ''Acting:'' 10 July 1987 – 5 August 1987
| order               = 6th
}}
'''Roh Tae-woo''' ({{Korean|hangul=노태우}}, {{IPA|ko|no.tʰɛ.u|pron}}; 4 December 1932<ref name="CHRO">{{cite news|url = https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211026008400315|title = Chronology of late former President Roh Tae-woo|work = [[Yonhap News Agency]]|date = 26 October 2021|accessdate = 26 October 2021|quote = December 4, 1932: Born in Daegu}}</ref><ref name="Reuters">{{Cite news|last1=Cha|first1=Sangmi|last2=Smith|first2=Josh|date=26 October 2021|title=South Korea's former president Roh Tae-woo dies at 88 - hospital|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-former-president-roh-tae-woo-dies-88-yonhap-2021-10-26/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026055252/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-former-president-roh-tae-woo-dies-88-yonhap-2021-10-26/ |archive-date=26 October 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/26/world/asia/roh-tae-woo-dies.html|title = Roh Tae-woo, South Korean Leader During Move Toward Democracy, Dies at 88|work = [[The New York Times]]|last = Choe|first = Sang-hun|date = 26 October 2021|accessdate = 26 October 2021}}</ref>{{efn|name = BD}} – 26 October 2021) was a South Korean army general and [[politician]] who served as the sixth [[president of South Korea]] from 1988 to 1993. In 1987, he became the first president to be directly elected under the current democratic [[Constitution of South Korea|constitution]], which was promulgated after a lengthy period of indirect elections under military governments following the advent of the [[Yushin Constitution]] in [[1972 South Korean presidential election|1972]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roh Tae-woo, first president of South Korea's modern democracy, dies at 88 - UPI.com |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/10/26/south-korea-roh-tae-woo-obit/8371635244968/ |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref>

Born in [[Daegu]], Roh attended the [[Korea Military Academy]] alongside his close friend [[Chun Doo-hwan]]. Rising steadily through the ranks, he saw action in the [[Vietnam War]], and by 1979 he was a major general and commanded the [[9th Infantry Division (South Korea)|White Horse Division]]. In that capacity, Roh played a key role in the [[Coup d'état of December Twelfth|December 1979 military coup]] that brought Chun to power, and supported Chun's violent crackdown of the [[Gwangju Uprising]] in 1980. Retiring from the army a year later, he held a series of ministerial posts in Chun's government.

In June 1987, Chun handpicked Roh as the candidate of the ruling [[Democratic Justice Party]] in the [[1987 South Korean presidential election|upcoming presidential election]], which effectively handed Roh the presidency. The announcement triggered large pro-democracy rallies across the country that came to be known as the [[June Democratic Struggle]]. In response, Roh worked to distance himself from the Chun government and delivered the [[June 29 Declaration]], promising a broad program of democratic reforms including the direct election of the president. He won the election in December with a plurality and was inaugurated on 25 February 1988.

As president, Roh reaffirmed his commitment to the continuing democratization of South Korean politics. He oversaw the merger of his Democratic Justice Party with [[Kim Young-sam]]'s [[Reunification Democratic Party]] and [[Kim Jong-pil]]'s [[New Democratic Republican Party]] to form the [[New Korea Party|Democratic Liberal Party]]. Shortly after inauguration, he presided over the [[1988 Summer Olympics]] in Seoul. In foreign affairs, Roh pursued the policy of [[Nordpolitik]] and established diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union and China. Relations with North Korea improved during his presidency, and the two Koreas were simultaneously admitted into the [[United Nations]] in 1991. Barred from running for a second term, Roh was succeeded by [[Kim Young-sam]] in 1993.

In 1996, Roh and Chun were convicted for corruption as well as their roles in the 1979 coup and the Gwangju massacre; Roh was sentenced to 17 years in prison while Chun was given a life sentence. Both were pardoned the following year by President Kim Young-sam on advice of incoming President-elect [[Kim Dae-jung]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mufson |first1=Steven |title=Two Jailed Leaders Pardoned in South Korea |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1997/12/21/two-jailed-leaders-pardoned-in-s-korea/8b8d9f9b-90d0-4a80-b84e-71a565a61b49/ |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |access-date=28 March 2022 |date=21 December 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Han |first1=In Sup |title=Kwangju and beyond: Coping with past State Atrocities in South Korea |journal=Human Rights Quarterly |date=2005 |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=998–1045 |doi=10.1353/hrq.2005.0037 |jstor=20069818 |s2cid=144780531 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20069818 |issn=0275-0392|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Roh died on 26 October 2021, at the age of 88.<ref>{{cite web |title=[Editorial] Roh Tae-woo leaves legacy of disgrace without apology |url=https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/english_editorials/1016892.html |website=[[The Hankyoreh]] |access-date=28 March 2022 |date=27 October 2021}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Roh was born on 4 December 1932 in [[Daegu]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Choe|first=Sang-Hun|date=2021-10-26|title=Roh Tae-woo, 88, South Korean Leader in Move Toward Democracy, Dies|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/26/world/asia/roh-tae-woo-dies.html|access-date=2021-10-27|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> His ancestry could be traced from [[Jinan]], capital of [[Shandong]], China<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|title=韩国前总统卢泰愚山东寻根|language=zh|work=Guangming Daily|date=2014-06-26|url=https://epaper.gmw.cn/wzb/html/2014-06/26/nw.D110000wzb_20140626_2-08.htm|access-date=2024-06-05|issn=}}</ref> and is the 16th generation descendant of {{ill|Noh Sa-sin|ko|노사신}} who was a civil minister and scholar during early [[Joseon]] period. Noh Sa-sin is 6th generation descendant of the late [[Goryeo]] period bureaucrat Noh Jin ({{Korean|노진|hanja=盧稹|labels=no}}). His father, a low-echelon civil officer in the [[Keishōhoku Province|district]], died in a car accident when Roh was seven years old. With his uncle's help, Roh first enrolled at the Daegu Technical School but transferred to the local Kyongbuk High School where he was an above-average student. Roh befriended [[Chun Doo-hwan]] while in high school in Daegu.

==Military service==
During the [[Korean War]] (1950–1953), Roh joined the South Korean army as an enlisted conscript in an [[artillery]] unit, alongside singer [[Song Hae]]. He was promoted to Sergeant [[Cannoneer]] of an [[M114 155 mm howitzer]] gun line.

He later entered the [[Korean Military Academy]] (KMA), completing it in the first class of the four-year program, he graduated in February 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as an Army 2nd Lieutenant in the 11th class of the KMA.

A commissioned officer in the infantry from 1954, Roh rose steadily through the ranks and fought in the [[Vietnam War]], first in 1968 as a lieutenant colonel and battalion commander, later was promoted to major general and the commander of [[9th Infantry Division (Republic of Korea)|White Horse Division]] in 1979. A member of the [[Hanahoe]], a secret military group, he gave critical support to a [[Coup d'état of December Twelfth]] 1979 in which Chun became the ''de facto'' ruler of South Korea. Roh helped Chun suppress the [[Gwangju Uprising]] in May 1980.

Roh held several key army posts such as Commander of the Capital Security Command in 1979 and Commander of the Defense Security Command in 1980.

When Roh first joined the military, his surname was transcribed in English as "No." He later changed it to "Roh" to avoid the negative connotations of "No" in English.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/vault/issue/1987-12-28/page/32/ |title=Roh: "I Am a Positive Person |last=Chua-Eoan |first=Howard G. |magazine=Time |date=28 December 1987 |access-date=29 December 2021}}</ref>

==Political career==
===Cabinet minister===
Following his retirement from the Army in July 1981, Roh accepted Chun's offer of the post of Minister of State for National Security and Foreign Affairs. Later, he served as Sports Minister, Home Affairs Minister, President of the Seoul Olympics Organizing Committee, and in 1985, chairman of the ruling Democratic Justice Party. Most notably, he oversaw preparations for the [[1988 Summer Olympics]] in [[Seoul]], which he officially declared open.

===June 29 Declaration and run for presidency===
{{see also|1987 South Korean presidential election|June 29 Declaration}}
Despite his involvement in the coup d'état of December 12 and the bloody military crackdown of dissidents in the Gwangju Uprising and with an eye on the [[Blue House]] in the upcoming 1987 presidential elections, Roh began working to distance himself from the unpopular Chun government. Roh worked to carry out his own agenda for democratic reform. By agreeing to meeting the demands of the political opposition in terms of political reforms with his eight-point proposal including direct election of the President, Roh successfully upstaged Chun and boosted his own image as a reformer.

In June 1987, Chun named Roh as the presidential candidate of the ruling [[Democratic Justice Party]]. This was widely perceived as handing Roh the presidency, and triggered large pro-democracy rallies in Seoul and other cities in the 1987 [[June Democracy Movement]].

In response, Roh made a speech on 29 June promising a wide program of reforms. Chief among them were a new, more democratic constitution and popular election of the president. In the election, the two leading opposition figures, [[Kim Young-sam]] and [[Kim Dae-jung]] (both of whom later became presidents), were unable to overcome their differences and they split the vote.<ref name="LosAngeles2">{{cite web|last1=Holley|first1=David|title=Kim Young Sam Gets Backing of Only Woman in Korea Race|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-06-mn-27127-story.html|date=6 December 1987|access-date=24 November 2016}}</ref> This enabled Roh to win by a narrow margin with 36.6% of the vote and become the country's first democratically elected president on 16 December 1987.

==Presidency (1988–1993)==
{{Infobox administration|image=Roh Tae-woo March 1989 (3x4).jpg|name=Presidency of Roh Tae-woo|term_start=25 February 1988|term_end=25 February 1993|cabinet=''[[Cabinet of Roh Tae-woo|Full list]]''|party=[[Democratic Justice Party|Democratic Justice]] (1988–1990)<br />[[New Korea Party|Democratic Liberal]] (1990–1992)<br />[[Independent politician|Independent]] (1992–1993)|election=[[1987 South Korean presidential election|1987]]|seat=[[Seoul]]|predecessor=[[Chun Doo-hwan#Dictatorship (1980–1987)|Chun Doo-hwan]]|successor=[[Kim Young-sam#Presidency (1993–98)|Kim Young-sam]]|president_link=President of South Korea|premier_link=Prime Minister of South Korea|premier=[[Lee Hyun-jae]]<br />[[Kang Young-hoon]]<br />[[Ro Jai-bong]]<br />[[Chung Won-shik]]<br />[[Hyun Soong-jong]]|seal=Seal of the President of the Republic of Korea.svg}}[[File:President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush with Korean President Roh Tae-woo and Kim Ok-suk.jpg|thumb|Roh Tae-woo and [[President of United States]] [[George H. W. Bush]] in 1991]]
[[File:Kiichi Miyazawa and Roh Tae-woo 199201.jpg|thumb|Roh and [[Prime minister of Japan]] [[Kiichi Miyazawa]] in 1992]]
Roh was inaugurated as president on 25 February 1988. For the first time, the ceremony was held outside the National Assembly. Subsequent presidents have been inaugurated at the same location.<ref>{{cite news |date= February 24, 2013|title= The shifting presidential inaugurations through the years|url= https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2967616|access-date= 27 October 2021}}</ref> In his inauguration speech, Roh pledged to open an era of democracy, bringing into full play the people's potential.

Roh's rule was notable for hosting the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and for his foreign policy of [[Nordpolitik]], which represented a major break from previous administrations. True to his word, he remained committed to democratic reforms and was steadfast in the push toward political and socio-economic reforms at home. Democratization of politics, economic "growth with equity," and national reunification were the three policy goals publicly stated by the Roh administration.

However, in 1992, Roh's government sealed up a cave on [[Mount Halla]] where the remains of the [[Jeju uprising]] massacre victims had been discovered, continuing a series of coverups by successive administrations on the truth of the uprising.<ref name="newsweek">{{cite magazine |date=19 June 2000|url = http://www.newsweek.com/ghosts-cheju-160665|title = Ghosts Of Cheju|magazine = [[Newsweek]]| access-date = 30 March 2009 | author=HIDEKO TAKAYAMA }}</ref>

===Merging of political parties in 1990===
In order to overcome the paralysis of governing due to lack of majority support in the National Assembly, the Roh government sought to attain "a grand compromise" in partisan politics. A party merger was announced on 22 January 1990 in an attempt to accomplish this political objective. The ruling Democratic Justice Party merged with two opposition parties, Kim Young-sam's Reunification and Democracy Party and [[Kim Jong-pil]]'s New Democratic Republican Party. The new established [[New Korea Party|Democratic Liberal Party]], which commanded a more than two-thirds majority in the legislature, sought to establish political stability so as to enable socio-economic progress. However, the merger was fraught with factional infighting, undermining his administration's handling on national affairs.<ref name="Health">{{cite news |date= 26 October 2021|title= (5th LD) Former President Roh Tae-woo dies at 88|url= https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211026007955315?section=national/politics|access-date= 27 October 2021}}</ref>

===Foreign policy===
{{see also|Nordpolitik}}
He met with President [[Corazon Aquino]] for a series of talks between the [[Philippines]] and South Korea for economic, social, and cultural ties, supporting the Filipino boxer [[Leopoldo Serantes]] in the Olympics, and to discuss [[Korean reunification|unification]] talks to end North Korea's hostility after the Korean War.

During his administration, Roh's stance as President was very active in diplomacy. Successfully hosting the 24th Summer Olympics in Seoul in his first year in office was a major accomplishment, followed by his active diplomacy, including his address before the [[United Nations General Assembly]] in October 1988, his meeting with U.S. President [[George H. W. Bush]], and delivering a speech before a joint session of the U.S. Congress. He also conducted a five-nation European visit in December 1989.

On 7 July 1988, he launched an aggressive foreign policy initiative called the Northern Diplomacy, or Nordpolitik, which brought about benefits and rewards to his government. In 1989, Seoul established diplomatic relations with [[Hungary]] and [[Poland]], followed by diplomatic ties with [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]], [[Romania]], [[Czechoslovakia]], [[Bulgaria]], and [[Mongolia]] in 1990. South Korea's trade with the People's Republic of China steadily increased, reaching the $3.1 billion mark at the same time South Korea's trade with the Eastern Bloc nations and the [[Soviet Union]] increased to $800 million. Seoul and Moscow exchanged full consular general's offices in 1990. Roh's moves left North Korea more isolated and was a dramatic and historic turning point of South Korea's diplomatic goals.

On 4 June 1990, Roh met with [[Mikhail Gorbachev]], [[President of the Soviet Union]], during a visit to the United States. The meeting ended 42 years of official silence between the two countries and paved the way for improved diplomatic relations. Roh later visited the Soviet Union in 1991.

===North Korean relations===
The Nordpolitik policy also proposed the interim development of a "Korean Community", which was similar to a North Korean proposal for a confederation.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea| last = Bluth | first = Christoph | year = 2008| publisher = Polity Press| location = Cambridge| isbn = 978-07456-3357-2 |pages=48–49}}</ref>

From 4 to 7 September 1990, high-level talks were held in Seoul, at the same time that the North was protesting about the Soviet Union normalizing relations with the South. In December 1991 both states made an accord, the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression, Exchange and Cooperation, pledging non-aggression and cultural and economic exchanges. They also agreed on prior notification of major military movements and established a military [[hotline]], and working on replacing the [[Korean Armistice Agreement]] with a "peace regime". The agreement was praised for forming a foundation for cross-border exchanges and cooperation.<ref name=wp-19911213>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/12/13/two-koreas-pledge-to-end-aggression/d104ab96-1a85-4024-8b61-bf9e43d779eb/ |title=Two Koreas pledge to end aggression |last=Blustein |first=Paul |newspaper=The Washington Post|date=13 December 1991 |access-date=19 September 2018}}</ref><ref name=nyt-19911213>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/13/world/koreas-sign-pact-renouncing-force-in-a-step-to-unity.html |title=Koreas sign Pact renouncing force in a step to unity |author=David E. Sanger |newspaper=The New York Times|date=13 December 1991 |access-date=19 September 2018}}</ref><ref name=state-19911213>{{cite web |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/t/ac/rls/or/2004/31012.htm |title=Agreement on Reconciliation, Nonagression and Exchanges And Cooperation Between the South and the North |publisher=U.S. Department of State |date=13 December 1991 |access-date=19 September 2018}}</ref>

In January 1992, North and South Korea also signed the [[Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula]], although the North subsequently reneged and pursued its own nuclear weapons program. This coincided with the admission of both North and South Korea into the United Nations.<ref name="BipolarOrdersp160">{{cite book |author= Hyung Gu Lynn |date= 2007 |title= Bipolar Orders: The Two Koreas since 1989 |url= https://archive.org/details/bipolarorderstwo00lynn |url-access= limited |publisher= Zed Books |page=[https://archive.org/details/bipolarorderstwo00lynn/page/n174 160]}}</ref> Meanwhile, on 25 March 1991, a unified Korean team, for the first time, used the [[Korean Unification Flag]] at the World Table Tennis Competition in Japan, and on 6 May 1991, a unified team competed at the World Youth Football Competition in [[Portugal]].

===Economy and infrastructure===
Roh's emphasis on "economic growth with equity," although well received by the public, led to the dwindling in the annual economic growth rate from the high of 12.3 percent in 1988 to 6.7 percent in 1989. As labor strikes and demands for higher wages intensified, the Roh government imposed an austerity plan to keep South Korea's export-oriented economy more competitive internationally. However, pursuit of higher wages in the wake of the strikes and the appreciation of the [[South Korean won]] in value against the U.S. dollar made South Korean products less competitive internationally.

His policies cancelled debt in rural areas, constructed two million new houses, and established public land ownership for the public interest. In addition, under his administration, large-scale national projects such as [[Incheon International Airport]] opened in 2001 and the [[Korea Train Express]] (KTX) high speed rail system opened in 2004. Both of these began construction under his administration in 1992.<ref>{{cite news |date= 26 October 2021|title= Former President Roh, a key man in military coup and witness to democratization
|url= http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20211026000873&np=2&mp=1|access-date= 27 October 2021}}</ref>

==Post-presidency (1993–2021)==
Barred from running for a second term in 1992 (the 1987 constitution retained the previous ban on reelection), Roh left office on 24 February 1993.

===Trial, jail sentence and pardon===
In 1993, Roh's successor Kim Young-sam led an anti-corruption campaign that investigated Roh and Chun. Kim had previously merged his party with Roh's in a deal that enabled him to win the election. Kim's administration also officially recognised the 12 December incident as a coup.

In October 1995, Roh, in a tearful televised speech, publicly apologized for having illegally amassed hundreds of millions of dollars in secret political donations during his term as president.<ref>{{cite news |date= 26 October 2021|title= Roh Tae-woo, who restored direct elections, dies at 88|url= https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/10/26/national/politics/Roh-Taewoo-Cold-War-democracy/20211026182308598.html|access-date= 27 October 2021}}</ref> Roh was arrested in November 1995 on charges of bribery.<ref name="CHRO"/> The two former presidents were also later separately charged with [[mutiny]] and treason for their roles in the 1979 coup and the 1980 Gwangju massacre.

The "trial of the century", as described by the media, saw both convicted in August 1996 for treason, mutiny, and corruption; Chun was sentenced to death, later commuted to life imprisonment, while Roh's 22½-year jail sentence was reduced to 17 years on appeal. Both were released from prison in December 1997 and pardoned by Kim Young-sam on advice of president-elect [[Kim Dae-jung]]. Both Roh and Chun attended Kim Dae-jung's inauguration on 25 February 1998.

In March 2006, Roh was also stripped of 11 national honours which he previously received.<ref name="CHRO"/>

Roh finished repaying fines from his illegally gained wealth in 2013. In 2013, the remaining W24 billion (USD22 million) of a W262.9 billion fine for corruption in office was paid.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/08/22/2013082201400.html | title=Ex-President Roh Tae-woo to Pay Remainder of Massive Fine | date=22 August 2013 | work=[[The Chosun Ilbo]] | language=en | access-date=27 October 2019 }}</ref> He mostly stayed out of politics and maintained a low profile in retirement, and he continued to express remorse over his crimes until his death in 2021. In 2019, two years before Roh's death, his son went to Gwangju and visited the May 18th National Cemetery on behalf of his father. Roh's son visited the cemetery a second time in 2020, and he offered a flower wreath under his father's name.<ref>{{cite news |date= 27 October 2021|title= (LEAD) Late ex-President Roh asks democracy uprising victims for forgiveness in last will
|url= https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211027007051315?section=national/politics|access-date= 27 October 2021}}</ref> In contrast, his friend and predecessor, Chun Doo-hwan stopped repaying his remaining fine and did not show regret or remorse for his past actions.

===Health (2002–2021)===
Roh suffered from prostate cancer and received surgery in 2002. He also suffered from cerebellar atrophy and [[asthma]].<ref name="Health"/> His son, Roh Jae-heon who is a lawyer based in the United States, said that Roh spent most of his final 10 years of his life in the hospital,<ref name="Health"/> while his daughter [[Roh Soh-yeong]], an art museum director, said he was bedridden for the past 10 years and unable to speak or move his body. On 12 August 2014, while confinement at the Seoul National University Hospital, Roh was visited by his predecessor and friend [[Chun Doo-hwan]].<ref>{{cite news |date= 27 October 2021|title= Ex-South Korean President Roh Tae-woo dies at 88
|url= https://apnews.com/article/elections-presidential-elections-seoul-south-korea-roh-tae-woo-042d3b044e10680ebb2d7047fb952379|access-date= 30 October 2021}}</ref>

==Death and state funeral==
Roh died in intensive care at the [[Seoul National University Hospital]] at 1:45pm KST on 26 October 2021, at the age of 88.<ref>{{cite news |date= 26 October 2021|title= Roh Tae-woo, 88, South Korean Leader in Move Toward Democracy, Dies (paywalled)|newspaper= The New York Times|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/26/world/asia/roh-tae-woo-dies.html|access-date= 27 October 2021|last1= Choe|first1= Sang-Hun}}</ref><ref name="Reuters"/> His family released his last will and message:<ref>{{Cite web |last=이 |first=슬기 |date=2021-10-27 |script-title=ko:[노태우 사망] "제 과오들에 깊은 용서 바란다" 유언 공개(종합) |url=https://v.daum.net/v/20211026224317778 |access-date=2023-07-16 |website=Daum 연합뉴스}}</ref><ref name="Health"/>{{Efn|{{Korean|hangul="나름대로 최선의 노력을 다했지만 그럼에도 부족한 점 및 저의 과오들에 대해 깊은 용서를 바란다. 주어진 운명을 겸허하게 그대로 받아들여, 위대한 대한민국과 국민을 위해 봉사할 수 있어서 참으로 감사하고 영광스러웠다. 생애에 이루지 못한 남북한 평화통일이 다음 세대들에 의해 꼭 이루어지기를 바란다"|labels=no}}}}

{{Blockquote|text=While I tried my best in my own way, I deeply ask for forgiveness for my shortcomings and mistakes. I was truly grateful and honored to humbly accept the fate of serving the great Republic of Korea and its people. I hope that the peaceful reunification of North and South Korea that was not achieved in my lifetime will be achieved by the next generation.}}

In view of Roh's mixed and disputed legacy, the government decided to hold a state funeral for Roh following a debate within the national cabinet, in recognition of his "significant contributions to the nation's development".<ref>{{cite news |date= 27 October 2021|title= (3rd LD) S. Korea to hold state funeral for late ex-President Roh
|url= https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211027001753315?section=national/politics|access-date= 27 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date= 27 October 2021|title= Moon pays respects to Roh, won't attend funeral
|url= http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20211027001014|access-date= 27 October 2021}}</ref> The decision was criticized by some, including survivors and victims' families of the Gwangju massacre and members of the ruling liberal [[Democratic Party (South Korea, 2015)|Democratic Party]]. The city of Gwangju and several other cities and provincial governments refused to raise flags half-mast or set up memorial altars for Roh in accordance with state funeral procedures.<ref>{{cite news|date= 30 October 2021|title= S Koreans send off former President Roh in small funeral|url= https://www.heraldonline.com/news/article255408451.html|access-date= 30 October 2021}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date= 28 October 2021|script-title=ko:"조기만 게양" "조기도, 분향소도 거부"…'국가장' 대응 제각각|url=https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/area/honam/1017123.html|access-date= 30 October 2021}}</ref> In Seoul, memorial altars saw a low turnout of mourners coming to pay their respects.<ref>{{cite news |date= 28 October 2021|title= Passed by|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/10/28/imageNews/photos/mourning-altar-Roh-Taewoo-Seoul-Plaza/20211028171106679.html|access-date= 5 November 2021}}</ref>

The scaled-down state funeral service, held in the middle of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], took place at [[Olympic Park, Seoul]] on 30 October, in recognition of the 1988 Summer Olympics which was successfully held there under his presidency. Prime Minister [[Kim Boo-kyum]] gave a eulogy. By law, Roh was not eligible for burial at a national cemetery because of his past criminal record and conviction. On 9 December 2021, two months after his death, Roh's ashes were interred at [[Paju]], a border town to North Korea, on {{Ill|Unification Hill|ko|통일동산}}.<ref>{{cite news |date= 30 October 2021|title= S. Korea bids farewell to late former President Roh|url= http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20211030000041|access-date= 30 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=이 |first=수정 |date=2021-10-26 |script-title=ko:과오들에 깊은 용서를 바란다…노태우씨 유언 공개 |url=https://radiokorea.com/news/article.php?subcat=politic&uid=374454 |access-date=2023-07-16 |website=라디오코리아 뉴스 |language=ko}}</ref>

He died about one month before Chun died on 23 November 2021 from complications of blood cancer.

==Honours==
*{{flag|South Korea}}:
**[[File:Grand Order of Mugunghwa (South Korea) - ribbon bar.svg|70px]] Recipient of the [[Grand Order of Mugunghwa]]

===Foreign honours===
* {{flag|Belgium}}:
** [[File:Grand Crest Ordre de Leopold.png|70px]] Grand Cordon of the [[Order of Leopold (Belgium)|Order of Leopold]]
* {{flag|Malaysia}}:
**[[File:MY Darjah Utama Seri Mahkota Negara (Crown of the Realm) - DMN.svg|70px]] Honorary Recipient of the [[Order of the Crown of the Realm]] (1988)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/v8/images/stories/1988.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808012626/http://www.istiadat.gov.my/v8/images/stories/1988.pdf |archive-date=2016-08-08 |url-status=live|title=Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1988.}}</ref>
*{{flag|United Kingdom}}:
**[[File:UK Order St-Michael St-George ribbon.svg|70px]] Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the [[Order of St Michael and St George]]
*{{flag|Yugoslavia}}:
**[[File:Order_of_the_Yugoslavian_Great_Star_Rib.png|70px]] [[Order of the Yugoslav Star|Order of the Yugoslav Great Star]] (1990)<ref>{{Cite journal |date=28 June 1991 |title=Одликовања |url=http://www.slvesnik.com.mk/Issues/C593E252F12B447DBEA4507271E7B672.pdf |journal=Službeni glasnik SFRJ |volume=XLVII |issue=48 |pages=761}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=9 November 1990 |title=Prvi susret na vrhu |url=https://istorijskenovine.unilib.rs/view/index.html#panel:pp&#124;issue:UB_00064_19901109&#124;page:1&#124;query:koreja |journal=Borba |pages=1}}</ref>
*{{flag|International Olympic Committee}}:
**[[File:Olympic Order gold ribbon.svg|70px]] [[Olympic Order]]

==In popular culture==
* Roh is portrayed by [[Seo In-seok]] in the 2005 [[Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation|MBC]] TV series ''[[5th Republic (TV series)|5th Republic]]''.
* Park Moo-yeol, a fictional character modelled after Roh Tae-woo, is portrayed in a cameo by Kang Moon-kyung in 2021 [[JTBC]] drama series ''[[Snowdrop (South Korean TV series)|Snowdrop]]''
* Noh Tae-geon, a fictional character modelled after Roh, is also portrayed in the 2023 South Korean film ''[[12.12: The Day]]''.

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* [[History of South Korea]]

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last1=Bedeski |first1=Robert |title=The Transformation of South Korea: Reform and Reconstitution in the Sixth Republic Under Roh Tae Woo, 1987-1992 |date=November 2002 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-84515-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7DSPBAAAQBAJ |language=en}}
* {{cite book |last1=Kleiner |first1=Juergen |title=Korea: A Century Of Change |date=28 November 2001 |publisher=World Scientific |isbn=978-981-4490-80-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OujUCgAAQBAJ |language=en}}
* {{cite book |last1=Snyder |first1=Scott A. |title=South Korea at the Crossroads: Autonomy and Alliance in an Era of Rival Powers |date=2 January 2018 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-54618-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xmhADwAAQBAJ |language=en}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
*{{C-SPAN|4049}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box
|before = [[Chun Doo-hwan]]
|title = [[President of South Korea]]
|years = 1988–1993
|after = [[Kim Young-sam]]
}}
{{s-sports}}
{{Succession box
| title = [[President of the Olympic Organizing Committee|President of Organizing Committee for Summer Olympic Games]]
| years = 1983–1986
| before = {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Kim Yong-shik]]
| after = {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Park Seh-jik]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Presidents of South Korea}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roh, Tae-woo}}
[[Category:Roh Tae-woo| ]]
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century South Korean politicians]]
[[Category:Conservatism in South Korea]]
[[Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Buddhism]]
[[Category:Democratic Justice Party politicians]]
[[Category:Gyoha No clan|Tae-woo]]
[[Category:Heads of government who were later imprisoned]]
[[Category:Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George]]
[[Category:Human rights abuses in South Korea]]
[[Category:Korea Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:South Korean military personnel of the Vietnam War]]
[[Category:Kyeongbuk High School alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly (South Korea)]]
[[Category:People convicted of treason against South Korea]]
[[Category:People from Daegu]]
[[Category:Politicians convicted of corruption]]
[[Category:Presidents of South Korea]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games]]
[[Category:Recipients of South Korean presidential pardons]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Olympic Order]]
[[Category:South Korean anti-communists]]
[[Category:South Korean generals]]
[[Category:South Korean politicians convicted of crimes]]
[[Category:South Korean prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:20th-century presidents in Asia]]
[[Category:Perpetrators of political repression in South Korea]]