Roh Moo Hyun

Roh Moo Hyun, 1946–, South Korean politician, president (2003–) of South Korea. A lawyer who defended antigovernment activists in the early 1980s, he was elected to the national assembly in 1988 and served on the special committee investigating government corruption. Elected a second time in 1998, he subsequently served (2000–2001) as maritime affairs and fisheries minister under President Kim Dae Jung. Running as the Millenium Democratic party candidate, he was elected president in 2002. Early on his administration was hurt by the corruption scandals that have dogged South Korean politics and political parties, and he was hindered by a parliament dominated by opposition parties. His verbal support for the reformist Uri party, which split from the Millenium Democratic party, led to his impeachment (2004) by the national assembly because the constitution calls for the president to be politically neutral. Roh's impeachment was subsequently overturned, but the Uri party meanwhile won a majority in the assembly, becoming the first liberal party to control a South Korean government. Roh strongly supports continued engagement with North Korea and increased South Korean autonomy from the United States.

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Roh Moo Hyun

(born Aug. 6, 1946, Gimhae, near Pusan, Korea [now in South Korea]) South Korean president (from 2003). Born into a poor family, Roh did not attend college but was able to pass the bar exam in 1975 and later became a highly respected human rights lawyer. He was a member of the National Assembly (1988–92) and served in the cabinet (1998–2002) of Pres. Kim Dae Jung. Roh, who favoured negotiations with North Korea and criticized U.S. policy toward the Korean peninsula, won the 2002 presidential elections. In March 2004 Roh was impeached over charges of electoral law violations, economic mismanagement, and illegal campaign donations. Forced to temporarily step down, he was reinstated as president in May after the Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment.