List of presidents of South Korea
_Presidential_Portrait_(cropped).jpg)
- Top left: Rhee Syng-man was the first president.
- Top right: Park Chung Hee was the longest-serving president.
- Bottom left: Park Geun Hye was the first female president.
- Bottom right: Lee Jae Myung is the current president.
The president of the Republic of Korea serves as the chief executive of the government of the Republic of Korea and the commander-in-chief of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.
The South Korean government constitutionally considers the Korean Provisional Government (KPG) to be its predecessor.[1] The KPG was established in 1919 as a government in exile in Shanghai during the Japanese occupation of Korea. It had nine different heads of state between September 1919 and August 1948.
Under the 1988 Constitution of the Sixth Republic of Korea, the presidential term is set at five years with no re-election. The president must be a South Korean citizen, at least 40 years old, who has lived in South Korea for 5 years.[2] The term was previously set at four years during the First Republic from 1948 to 1960, including a two-term limit that was repealed in 1954. The presidency was changed into a ceremonial role elected by legislators to five-year terms during the Second Republic from 1960 to 1963. The Third Republic returned the presidency to a directly-elected position with a four-year term in 1963 and repealed the two-term limit in 1969. Under the Yushin Constitution of the Fourth Republic adopted in 1972, the presidency became an indirectly elected position with six-year terms and no limits to re-election. It was replaced with a seven-year term under the Fifth Republic in 1981, which retained the indirect elections but prohibited a second term.[3]
As of 2025, fourteen people have served in full capacity as president of South Korea[4] since the office was formally established on 24 July 1948, when Rhee Syng-man took office after being elected by the Constituent National Assembly.[3] The longest-serving president is Park Chung Hee, who held the office for nearly 16 years from 1963 until his assassination in 1979 following a period of authoritarian rule.[3][5] The first and only woman to hold the presidency was his daughter Park Geun-hye, who was elected in 2012 and removed from office in 2017 after her impeachment was upheld by the Constitutional Court of Korea.[3][6]
Lee Jae Myung assumed office on 4 June 2025 following the impeachment of his elected predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, by the National Assembly on 14 December 2024 after his martial law declaration. His powers were suspended until his impeachment was upheld by the Constitutional Court on 4 April 2025, which formally ended Yoon's presidency. Lee was elected in the 2025 presidential election.[7]
Presidents
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term | Duration | Party | Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .jpg)
|
Rhee Syng-man 이승만 李承晩 (1875–1965) |
24 July 1948 – 27 April 1960[a] |
11 years, 278 days | National Association (until 1951) |
1948 | |
| Liberal (from 1951) |
1952 | ||||||
| 1956 | |||||||
| Mar. 1960 | |||||||
| Act. | 
|
Ho Chong 허정 許政 (1896–1988) Acting |
27 April 1960 – 15 June 1960 |
49 days | Independent | Acting | |
| Act. | 
|
Kwak Sang-hoon 곽상훈 郭尙勳 (1896–1980) Acting |
16 June 1960 – 23 June 1960 |
7 days | Democratic | Acting | |
| Act. |
|
Ho Chong 허정 許政 (1896–1988) Acting |
23 June 1960 – 8 August 1960 |
46 days | Independent | Acting | |
| Act. | 
|
Baek Nak-jun 백낙준 白樂濬 (1895–1985) Acting |
8 August 1960 – 13 August 1960 |
5 days | Independent | Acting | |
| 2 | .jpg)
|
Yun Po-sun 윤보선 尹潽善 (1897–1990) |
13 August 1960 – 24 March 1962[b] |
1 year, 223 days | Democratic | Aug. 1960 | |
| Act. | _Presidential_Portrait_(3x4).jpg)
|
Park Chung Hee[c] 박정희 朴正熙 (1917–1979) |
24 March 1962 – 17 December 1963 |
1 year, 268 days | Military (until 1963) |
Coup | |
| 3 | 17 December 1963 – 26 October 1979[d] |
15 years, 313 days | Democratic Republican (from 1963) |
1963 | |||
| 1967 | |||||||
| 1971 | |||||||
| 1972 | |||||||
| 1978 | |||||||
| Act. | .jpg)
|
Choi Kyu-hah[e] 최규하 崔圭夏 (1919–2006) |
26 October 1979 – 6 December 1979 |
41 days | Independent | Acting | |
| 4 | 6 December 1979 – 16 August 1980[f] |
254 days | 1979 | ||||
| Act. | 
|
Park Choong-hoon 박충훈 朴忠勳 (1919–2001) Acting |
16 August 1980 – 1 September 1980 |
16 days | Democratic Republican | Acting | |
| 5 | _Presidential_Portrait_(3x4).jpg)
|
Chun Doo-hwan[g] 전두환 全斗煥 (1931–2021) |
1 September 1980 – 25 February 1988 |
7 years, 177 days | Military (until 1981) |
1980 | |
| Democratic Justice (from 1981) |
1981 | ||||||
| 6 | _Presidential_Potraits.jpg)
|
Roh Tae-woo[g] 노태우 盧泰愚 (1932–2021) |
25 February 1988 – 25 February 1993 |
5 years | Democratic Justice (until 1990) |
1987 | |
| Democratic Liberal (1990–1992) | |||||||
| Independent (from 1992) | |||||||
| 7 | .jpg)
|
Kim Young-sam 김영삼 金泳三 (1929–2015) |
25 February 1993 – 25 February 1998 |
5 years | Democratic Liberal (until 1995) |
1992 | |
| New Korea (1995–1997) | |||||||
| Independent (from 1997) | |||||||
| 8 | .jpg)
|
Kim Dae-jung 김대중 金大中 (1924–2009) |
25 February 1998 – 25 February 2003 |
5 years | National Congress (until 2000) |
1997 | |
| Millenium Democratic (2000–2002) | |||||||
| Independent (from 2002) | |||||||
| 9 | .jpg)
|
Roh Moo-hyun[h] 노무현 盧武鉉 (1946–2009) |
25 February 2003 – 25 February 2008 |
5 years | Millenium Democratic (until 2003) |
2002 | |
| Uri (2003–2007) | |||||||
| Independent (from 2007) | |||||||
| Act. | 
|
Goh Kun[i] 고건 高建 (born 1938) Acting |
12 March 2004 – 14 May 2004 |
63 days | Millenium Democratic | Acting | |
| 10 | .jpg)
|
Lee Myung-bak 이명박 李明博 (born 1941) |
25 February 2008 – 25 February 2013 |
5 years | Grand National (until 2012) |
2007 | |
| Saenuri (from 2012) | |||||||
| 11 | .png)
|
Park Geun-hye 박근혜 朴槿惠 (born 1952) |
25 February 2013 – 10 March 2017[j] |
4 years, 13 days | Saenuri (until 2017) |
2012 | |
| Liberty Korea (from 2017) | |||||||
| Act. | 
|
Hwang Kyo-ahn[k] 황교안 黃敎安 (born 1957) Acting |
9 December 2016 – 10 May 2017 |
152 days | Independent | Acting | |
| 12 | .png)
|
Moon Jae-in 문재인 文在寅 (born 1953) |
10 May 2017 – 10 May 2022 |
5 years | Democratic | 2017 | |
| 13 | 
|
Yoon Suk Yeol 윤석열 尹錫悅 (born 1960) |
10 May 2022 – 4 April 2025[l] |
2 years, 329 days | People Power | 2022 | |
| Act. | 
|
Han Duck-soo[m] 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949) Acting |
14 December 2024 – 27 December 2024 |
13 days | Independent | Acting | |
| Act. | _(cropped).jpg)
|
Choi Sang-mok[n] 최상목 崔相穆 (born 1963) Acting |
27 December 2024 – 24 March 2025 |
87 days | Independent | Acting | |
| Act. |
|
Han Duck-soo[o] 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949) Acting |
24 March 2025 – 1 May 2025 |
38 days | Independent | Acting | |
| Act. | 
|
Lee Ju-ho[p] 이주호 李周浩 (born 1961) Acting |
2 May 2025 – 4 June 2025 |
33 days | Independent | Acting | |
| 14 | 
|
Lee Jae Myung 이재명 李在明 (born 1963) |
4 June 2025 – Incumbent |
282 days | Democratic | 2025 | |
Timeline
| Ideology | # | Time in office | Name(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 9 | 21765 days | Choi Kyu-hah, Chun Doo-hwan, Kim Young-sam, Lee Myung-bak, Park Chung Hee, Park Geun-hye, Roh Tae-woo, Rhee Syng-man, and Yoon Suk Yeol | |
| Liberal | 5 | 6350 days[q] | Kim Dae-jung, Moon Jae-in, Roh Moo-hyun, Yun Po-sun, and Lee Jae Myung | |
| Timeline of South Korean governments |
|---|
 |
See also
- Government of South Korea
- List of presidents of South Korea by age
- List of monarchs of Korea
- List of presidents of South Korea by time in office
- List of presidents of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
- List of prime ministers of South Korea
- Presidential elections in South Korea
- Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
- Vice President of South Korea
Notes
- ^ Rhee Syng-man resigned as a result of the April Revolution.
- ^ Yun Po-sun resigned in the aftermath of the May 16 coup.
- ^ Park Chung Hee served as Acting President from 24 March 1962 until 17 December 1963.
- ^ Park Chung Hee was assassinated by National Intelligence Service director Kim Jae-gyu.
- ^ Choi Kyu-hah served as Acting President from 26 October until 6 December 1979.
- ^ Choi Kyu-hah resigned in the aftermath of the Coup d'état of May Seventeenth.
- ^ a b Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo were affiliated with Hanahoe.
- ^ Roh Moo-hyun was impeached by the National Assembly on 12 March 2004. Roh was suspended until the Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment on 14 May 2004.[8]
- ^ Goh Kun served as Acting President during Roh Moo-hyun's suspension.
- ^ Park Geun-hye was impeached by the National Assembly on 9 December 2016. Park was suspended until she was removed from office on 10 March 2017, after the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment.[9][10]
- ^ Hwang Kyo-ahn served as Acting President during Park Geun-hye's suspension. After Park was removed from office, Hwang continued as Acting President until the election of Moon Jae-in.
- ^ Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by the National Assembly on 14 December 2024. Yoon was suspended until he was removed from office on 4 April 2025, after the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment.[11]
- ^ Han Duck-soo served as Acting President during Yoon Suk Yeol's suspension. Han was later impeached by the National Assembly on 27 December 2024.[12]
- ^ Choi Sang-mok served as Acting President during Han Duck-soo's suspension.
- ^ Han Duck-soo was reinstated by the Constitutional Court on 24 March 2025.[13] After Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office, Han continued as Acting President, until resigning on 1 May 2025, to run in the 2025 presidential election.
- ^ After Han Duck-soo resigned, Choi Sang-mok was expected to serve as Acting President. However, Choi resigned on 1 May 2025, to avoid an impeachment vote by the National Assembly.[14]
- ^ As of 13 March 2026.
References
- ^ Myers, Brian Reynolds (21 February 2018). "Constitutional Reform and Inter-Korean Relations: Part 2". Sthele Press. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- ^ "Constitution of the Republic of Korea". Government of South Korea. Retrieved 5 December 2024 – via United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
- ^ a b c d Yap, Fiona (2019). "Term Limits in South Korea: Promises and Perils". In Baturo, Alexander; Elgie, Robert (eds.). The Politics of Presidential Term Limits. London: Oxford University Press. pp. 451–458. doi:10.1093/oso/9780198837404.003.0022. ISBN 9780198837404. OCLC 1076408966.
- ^ Morris-Grant, Brianna (3 December 2024). "South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol could be facing impeachment after martial law declaration — here's what that process looks like". ABC News. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Gan, Nectar (4 December 2024). "The troubled history of martial law, coups and toppled presidents many hoped South Korea had left behind". CNN. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Choe Sang-hun (9 March 2017). "South Korea Removes President Park Geun-hye". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Jung Min-kyung (4 April 2025). "Yoon Suk Yeol: From star prosecutor to ousted president". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
- ^ Faiola, Anthony (13 May 2004). "Court Rejects S. Korean President's Impeachment". The Washington Post. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Choe Sang-hun (9 March 2017). "South Korea Removes President Park Geun-hye". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ "Timeline: South Korea's impeached President Park Geun-hye". Reuters. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
- ^ Jessie Yeung, Gawon Bae and Yoonjung Seo (14 December 2024). "South Korea's parliament votes to impeach president over martial law debacle". CNN. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ "South Korea votes to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo". BBC. 27 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "South Korea court reinstates PM as acting leader". BBC. 27 December 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ 민경락. "[2보] 최상목 경제부총리, 탄핵안 상정 직후 사의 표명". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-05-01.
| Provisional Governments (Pre-Union) (1919) | Syngman Rhee (Seoul) • Syngman Rhee (Shanghai) • Yi Tongnyŏng (Shanghai) • Ahn Chang Ho (Shanghai) • Yi Tonghwi (Shanghai) • Mun Ch'angpŏm (Vladivostok) |
|---|---|
| Provisional Government (1919–1948) | Syngman Rhee‡ • Yi Tongnyŏng • Pak Ŭnsik • Yi Yup'il • Yi Sangnyong • Yang Kit'ak • Yi Tongnyŏng • Ahn Chang Ho • Yi Tongnyŏng • Hong Chin • Kim Ku • Yi Tongnyŏng • Song Pyŏngjo • Yi Tongnyŏng • Kim Ku • Syngman Rhee |
| First Republic (1948–1960) | Syngman Rhee • Ho Chong |
| Second Republic (1960–1961) | |
| Military Junta (1961–1963) | |
| Third Republic (1963–1972) | Park Chung Hee |
| Fourth Republic (1972–1981) | |
| Fifth Republic (1981–1988) | Chun Doo-hwan |
| Sixth Republic (1988–present) | Roh Tae-woo • Kim Young-sam • Kim Dae-jung • Roh Moo-hyun† • Goh Kun • Lee Myung-bak • Park Geun-hye‡ • Hwang Kyo-ahn • Moon Jae-in • Yoon Suk Yeol‡ • Han Duck-soo† • Choi Sang-mok • Han Duck-soo • Lee Ju-ho • Lee Jae Myung |
