Park Geun-hye

Date of Birth: February 2, 1952

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Biography

Park Geun-hye is a South Korean politician who served as the 11th President of South Korea from 2013 to 2017, making her the first woman to hold the office. Born into a political family, she is the daughter of Park Chung-hee, the third President of South Korea, who ruled the country from 1963 until his assassination in 1979. Park Geun-hye entered politics in 1998, winning a seat in the National Assembly. She quickly rose through the ranks of the conservative Grand National Party (later renamed the Saenuri Party), eventually becoming its leader. Her presidency was marked by both achievements and controversies. Among her notable accomplishments were efforts to bolster South Korea’s economy and strengthen its international relations, particularly with China. However, her tenure was overshadowed by a major corruption scandal involving her close confidante, Choi Soon-sil, and allegations of influence-peddling. This led to her impeachment by the National Assembly in December 2016 and her subsequent removal from office by the Constitutional Court in March 2017. In 2018, she was sentenced to 24 years in prison on charges including bribery and abuse of power.

5 Interesting Facts about Park Geun-hye

1. Park Geun-hye is the first woman to be elected President of South Korea.

2. She is the daughter of Park Chung-hee, who served as South Korea’s President from 1963 until his assassination in 1979.

3. She never married and has no children, dedicating her life to her political career.

4. Park Geun-hye holds a degree in electronic engineering from Sogang University.

5. She was impeached and removed from office in 2017, making her the first South Korean president to be ousted in this manner.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Park Geun-hye

1. “I have no family to take care of, and I have no children to pass wealth to. You, the people, are my family and you are the ones I strive to serve.”

2. “Trust is the most important thing in politics.”

3. “We must build a future-oriented relationship with North Korea.”

4. “I will dedicate my life to the happiness of the people.”

5. “I will take full responsibility for this scandal, and I will cooperate with the investigation.”