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Former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo dies aged 88
President and Mrs. Bush host a State Dinner for Korean Presiden Roh Tae-woo and his wife Kim Ok-suk at the White House July-2-1991/Credit: George Bush Presidential Library and Museum Facebook page

The Arab news reported according to to Associate Press, a Seoul hospital says former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo has died. He was 88.


The Seoul National University Hospital said Roh died on Tuesday while being treated for an illness. It gave no further details.


Roh led an army division into Seoul in support of the 1979 military coup that that made his army friend Chun Doo-hwan president. The coup and a subsequent military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1980 are two of the darkest chapters in South Korea’s modern history.


South Korea-Seoul/Pixabay

Massive pro-democracy uprisings in 1987 forced Roh and Chun to accept a direct presidential vote. Roh eventually won the presidential election later in 1987.


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After leaving office, Roh admitted amassing a fortune in kickbacks and went to prison. He was pardoned in a bid for national reconciliation and spent his later years out of the public eye.


Source: arabnews