ASIA / PACIFIC
Page 4 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
December 5, 2016
Syngman Rhee (1948-1960)
A U.S.-educated Christian
leader who campaigned for Kore-
an liberation from Japanese
colonial rule, Rhee became South
Korea’s founding president in
1948, with help from Washing-
ton.
Rhee staged vigorous cam-
paigns to fight communism but
later turned authoritarian and,
critics say, resorted to corruption
and nepotism to cling to power.
He won his fourth presidential
term in 1960 amid widespread
allegations of vote rigging.
Nationwide student demonstra-
tions forced him to flee to Hawai‘i,
where he died in 1965.
AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File
AP Photo/Yun Jai-hyoung, File
CORRUPTION & SCANDAL. If there’s one thing South Korean presidents dread more than the looming threat of rival North Korea, it may be this: becoming an ex-president.
Nearly all former presidents, or their family members and key aides, have been embroiled in scandals at the close of their terms or after leaving office. There have been corruption
allegations, coups, and even a suicide and an assassination. Pictured are former presidents (L-R) Syngman Rhee (1948-1960), Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993), Chun Doo-hwan (1980-
1988), and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008).
His mismanagement of the eco- bribes from a businessman
Park Chung-hee (1961-1979) remote Buddhist temple as calls
mounted
to
punish
him
for
nomy,
however, helped precipi- during his presidency.
A former Japanese colonial
corruption
and
human-rights
tate
the
1997-1998 financial cri-
Roh’s older brother was sen-
army lieutenant and primary
abuses.
sis
that
toppled
some
of
the
tenced
in 2009 to two-and-a-half
school teacher, Maj. Gen. Park
country’s
debt-ridden
conglomer-
years
in
prison for influence ped-
Roh
Tae-woo
(1988-1993)
took power in a coup in 1961,
ates
and
forced
the
government
dling
during
Roh’s presidency.
Roh, Chun’s army buddy and
which ended a brief period of
to
accept
a
$58
billion
bailout
He
was
later
pardoned.
civilian rule after Rhee resigned.
handpicked successor, won the
Roh was impeached in 2004 on
Park, the father of the current 1987 election, thanks largely to from the International Monetary
Fund.
allegations
of incompetence and
president, was credited with divided votes among opposition
He
left
office
amid
rock-bottom
illegal
electioneering.
But the
laying the foundation for South candidates. He presided over the
popularity
with
his
son
arrested
impeachment
triggered
a strong
Korea’s economic growth. But his 1988 Seoul Olympics.
and
jailed
for
corruption.
public
backlash
that
helped
his
In 1995, both Chun and Roh
critics point out that he also
party
win
big
in
parliamentary
Kim
Dae-jung
(1998-2003)
arrested and tortured dissidents. were arrested on charges of
He was assassinated by his spy collecting hundreds of millions of
Sentenced to death by a elections. The Constitutional
chief during a drinking party in dollars from businessmen while military tribunal under Chun, Court then ruled that his actions
in office. They were also indicted Kim rose to the presidency and did not warrant removal from
1979.
Chun Doo-hwan (1980-1988) on mutiny and treason charges held an unprecedented summit office.
Maj. Gen. Chun and his mili- stemming from Chun’s coup and with North Korean leader Kim Lee Myung-bak (2008-2013)
Toward the end of his term,
tary cronies rolled tanks and a bloody 1980 crackdown that Jong Il in 2000; he was awarded
Lee, who campaigned on an
troops into Seoul to seize power in killed hundreds of pro-democracy the Nobel Peace Prize that year.
He left office tainted by anti-corruption
platform,
a coup that ended the interim protesters in the southern city of
corruption scandals involving watched his only son and an elder
government of acting President Gwangju.
Chun was sentenced to death aides and all three of his sons and brother come under fire for
Choi Kyu-hah.
Chun had himself elected and Roh to 22 1/2 years in jail. dubious cash remittances to alleged irregularities in funding
president in a gymnasium filled They were pardoned in December North Korea shortly before his Lee’s retirement home.
Another brother was arrested
historic inter-Korean summit.
with a pro-government elector- 1997.
on separate allegations of taking
Roh Moo-hyun (2003-2008)
ate. In 1987, massive pro-democ- Kim Young-sam (1993-1998)
racy demonstrations forced him
Kim’s election formally ended
Roh committed suicide in 2009, bribes from bankers and served a
to accept a constitutional revision military rule. He arrested Chun a year after leaving the 14-month prison term.
Lee called the corruption
for direct presidential elections.
and Roh and launched a widely presidential Blue House, amid
After his tenure ended, Chun popular anti-corruption cam- allegations that his family scandals involving family and
spent two years in exile in a paign.
members took $6 million in aides “heartbreaking.”
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AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — If
there’s one thing South Korean
presidents dread more than the
looming threat of rival North
Korea, it may be this: becoming
an ex-president.
Nearly all former presidents,
or their family members and key
aides, have been embroiled in
scandals at the close of their
terms or after leaving office.
There have been corruption
allegations, coups, and even a
suicide and an assassination.
Now, South Korean prosecu-
tors say they believe current
President Park Geun-hye, facing
historic levels of unpopularity
approaching her last year in
office, conspired in the criminal
activities of a confidante who
allegedly exploited her presi-
dential ties to force businesses to
donate money to two foundations
she controlled.
Here’s a look at the troubles
faced by South Korean presidents
over the years:
AP Photo/George Sweers, File
South Korea’s presidents make disgraced exits
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Philippine court urged to order remains of Marcos exhumed
MANILA, The Philippines (AP) — Human-rights vic-
tims who suffered during the rule of Philippine dictator
Ferdinand Marcos filed petitions asking the Supreme
Court to order the exhumation of his remains that were
buried November 18 at the country’s Heroes’ Cemetery.
They also wanted the court to hold officials and his heirs in
contempt for carrying out the burial before the court
heard final appeals against it.
Former President Fidel Ramos, who played a key role in
the peaceful army-backed revolt that ousted Marcos in
1986, called the former leader’s burial at the military-run
cemetery “an insult” to the sacrifices of soldiers and
veterans.
Left-wing former lawmaker Saturnino Ocampo and
other activists urged the court to hold Imelda — the widow
of Marcos — their three children, defense secretary Delfin
Lorenzana, and two military officials in contempt for “the
hasty, shady, and tricky” burial of the long-dead president
at Heroes’ Cemetery.
The petition said they should be fined and detained for
mocking the legal process that gave petitioners 15 days to
appeal the court’s November 8 ruling allowing the burial.
Opposition representative Edcel Lagman, who repre-
sents another group of petitioners, sought a court order to
have the remains exhumed “because the hasty and sur-
reptitious interment was premature, void, and irregular.”
He asked that the remains be examined to determine if
they are not a wax replica.
The secrecy-shrouded burial at the cemetery reserved
for presidents, soldiers, and national artists shocked
democracy advocates and human-rights victims,
prompting street protests in Manila and other cities.
Marcos’s rule was marked by massive rights violations
and plunder. After being ousted in 1986, he flew to
Hawai‘i, where he lived with his wife and children until he
died in 1989.
Groups opposed to the burial called for a national day of
protest at Manila’s Rizal Park and in other parts of the
country. Organizers urged Filipinos to join the protest and
hold President Rodrigo Duterte accountable for allowing
the burial and the Supreme Court for obscuring “the
crimes of the dictator.”
COVERT BURIAL. Human-rights victims who suffered during the
rule of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos have filed petitions asking the
Supreme Court to order the exhumation of his remains that were buried
November 18 at the country’s Heroes’ Cemetery in suburban Taguig city,
east of Manila, the Philippines. They also want the court to hold officials
and his heirs in contempt for carrying out the burial before the court heard
final appeals against it. Pictured are supporters of Marcos attending a
mass at the graveyard of the late dictator a day after he was buried in a
secrecy-shrouded ceremony. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
Ramos, 88, who led soldiers in turning against Marcos
in 1986, told reporters the burial was an insult and a
“trivialization of the role, the sacrifices of our armed
forces, (police), coast guard, veterans.”
Ramos, a supporter of Duterte, expressed hope that
Imelda will apologize to the Filipino people and contribute
whatever ill-gotten wealth remains with the family to
help compensate human-rights victims and their
descendants.
Also in late November, the Philippine government’s top
historian resigned to protest the president’s decision to
allow the burial of the dictator in the cemetery. Maria
Serena Diokno said in her resignation letter that she
would join protests against the burial.
Diokno, who was chairwoman of the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines, said Duterte could have
blocked the burial despite a Supreme Court decision that
dismissed petitions against the entombment.
Diokno said the burial was wrong and “mocks the
collective action we took to oust the dictator.”