South Korea’s political history is marked by dramatic rises and falls, with multiple presidents facing corruption charges, impeachment, and even death. Currently, President Yoon Suk Yeol is embroiled in a second impeachment vote after his controversial declaration of martial law last week, adding to a long history of tumultuous presidencies.
Yoon is far from the first South Korean leader to face scandal and public discontent. The country has witnessed a series of high-profile downfalls of its presidents, each representing a significant chapter in South Korea’s modern political history. In December 2016, Park Geun-hye, the country’s first female president, was impeached by the National Assembly following accusations of corruption and abuse of power. Park, who served from 2013 until her ousting in 2017, was accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes from powerful conglomerates like Samsung, and for other offenses such as sharing state secrets and blacklisting artists critical of her policies. The Constitutional Court upheld her impeachment in March 2017, leading to her imprisonment. Park was sentenced to 20 years in prison, though she was later pardoned by her successor, Moon Jae-in, in 2021. Yoon Suk Yeol, the current president, played a crucial role in her prosecution as a prosecutor.
Park’s fall mirrored the fate of her predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, who served from 2008 to 2013. In 2018, Lee was sentenced to 15 years in prison for corruption, notably for accepting bribes from Samsung. However, Lee was granted a pardon by President Yoon in December 2022.
Roh Moo-hyun, the president from 2003 to 2008, also faced scandal, though his end was far more tragic. Roh, a staunch advocate of North Korean reconciliation, faced allegations of bribery involving his family. In May 2009, amidst a corruption investigation, Roh took his own life by jumping off a cliff, deeply shocking the nation.
The history of South Korean presidencies also includes military coups and violent uprisings. In 1979, President Park Chung-hee, who had ruled since 1961, was assassinated by his own intelligence chief. His assassination led to a power vacuum, which was quickly filled by Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, two military generals who staged a coup. The duo later faced trials for their roles in the 1979 coup and the brutal suppression of the 1980 Gwangju uprising, both convicted of treason and corruption. They were granted amnesty in 1998 after spending minimal time in prison.
The cycle of instability dates back to South Korea’s first president, Syngman Rhee, who was forced to resign in 1960 following mass protests against his attempt to extend his term through rigged elections. His ousting marked the beginning of a volatile era in the country’s political history, which continues to reverberate in the present day.
In this context, President Yoon Suk Yeol’s tenure may soon become another chapter in this ongoing saga of political scandal and instability, raising questions about the future of South Korea’s democracy and the role of its political leaders.
