Famous South Korean Leaders

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 1 
Yi Sun-sin
(Naval Commander)
Yi Sun-sin
7
Birthdate: April 28, 1545
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hansung
Died: December 16, 1598

Yi Sun-sin was a Korean military general and admiral best remembered for his famous victories during the Imjin war, where his troops were victorious against the Japanese navy. Since the Imjin war, Yi Sun-sin has been revered in Korea as a national hero. Most of his victories were achieved despite being outnumbered by the enemies.

 2 
Moon Jae-in
(Former President of South Korea)
Moon Jae-in
19
Birthdate: January 24, 1953
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Geoje, South Korea

Moon Jae-in is a South Korean politician and the current president of South Korea. Although he was raised in poverty, Moon worked hard during his early years and went on to become a prominent politician. In 2018, he was named in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People list.

 3 
Syngman Rhee
(Statesman)
Syngman Rhee
11
Birthdate: March 26, 1875
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Haeju
Died: July 19, 1965
South Korea’s first president, Syngman Rhee, plunged into politics fighting for independence from Japan. His PhD from Princeton made him the first Korean to get a U.S. doctorate. Faced with the April Revolution and the Second Republic of Korea, he resigned and spent his final years exiled in Honolulu. 
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 4 
Park-Chung-hee
(Former President of South Korea)
Park-Chung-hee
9
Birthdate: November 14, 1917
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Gumi, South Korea
Died: October 26, 1979

Park Chung-hee served as the president of South Korea from 1962 to 1979. He had also chaired the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction. As the leader of the South Korean army, he had launched the 1961 coup and established a dictatorship. He was assassinated by his close aide Kim Jae-gyu.

 5 
Lee Kun-hee
(South Korean Entrepreneur and Businessperson)
Lee Kun-hee
7
Birthdate: January 9, 1942
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Uiryeong-gun, South Korea
Died: October 25, 2020
 6 
Kim Dae Jung
(Former President of South Korea)
Kim Dae Jung
3
Birthdate: January 6, 1924
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hauido, Sinan-gun
Died: August 18, 2009

Son of a farmer, Kim Dae Jung later took over a company that he had initially joined as a clerk. He escaped from the clutches of death during the Korean War. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning politician also became the first opposition leader to be elected as the South Korean president.

 7 
Empress Gi
(Politician)
Empress Gi
4
Birthdate: 1315 AD
Birthplace: Goyang, South Korea
Died: 1369 AD
 8 
Park Geun-hye
(11th President of South Korea)
Park Geun-hye
27
Birthdate: February 2, 1952
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Jung District, Taegu, South Korea

Park Geun-hye is a former politician from South Korea. In 2013, Park became the first woman to serve as the president of South Korea. She also became the first president from South Korea to be born after the establishment of the First Republic of Korea. In 2014, Park Geun-hye was named in Forbes magazine's world's most powerful people list.

 9 
Yŏngjo
(Korean King)
Yŏngjo
4
Birthdate: October 31, 1694
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Gyeonghuigung, Seoul, South Korea
Died: April 22, 1776
 10 
Lee Myung-bak
(Politician)
Lee Myung-bak
8
Birthdate: December 19, 1941
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Osaka
 11 
Roh Moo-hyun
(Judge, Politician, Lawyer)
Roh Moo-hyun
4
Birthdate: September 1, 1946
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Gimhae
Died: May 23, 2009
 12 
Kim Young-sam
(Politician)
Kim Young-sam
4
Birthdate: December 20, 1927
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Geoje
Died: November 22, 2015
 13 
Chun Doo-hwan
(5th President of South Korea)
Chun Doo-hwan
11
Birthdate: January 18, 1931
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hapcheon-gun, South Korea
Died: November 23, 2021
 14 
David Yonggi Cho
(Pastor)
David Yonggi Cho
3
Birthdate: February 14, 1936
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ulsan
 15 
Roh Tae-woo
(Sixth president of South Korea from 1988 to 1993)
Roh Tae-woo
3
Birthdate: December 4, 1932
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dong-gu, Daegu, South Korea
Died: October 26, 2021
 16 
Park Won-soon
(Politician)
Park Won-soon
2
Birthdate: March 26, 1956
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Changnyeong County Changnyeong, First Republic of Korea South Korea
Died: July 9, 2020
 17 
Choi Hong Hi
(Taekwondo athlete, Karateka)
Choi Hong Hi
2
Birthdate: November 9, 1918
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: North Hamgyong Province
Died: June 15, 2002
 18 
Chung Mong-koo
(Entrepreneur)
Chung Mong-koo
2
Birthdate: March 19, 1938
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Gangwon Province
 19 
Yun Posun
(President)
Yun Posun
2
Birthdate: August 26, 1897
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dunpo-myeon, Asan-si, South Korea
Died: July 18, 1990
 20 
Choi Kyu-hah
(Politician)
Choi Kyu-hah
5
Birthdate: July 16, 1919
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Wonju-myeon, Wonju County, Gangwon, South Korea
Died: October 22, 2006
 21 
Ahn Cheol-Soo
(Politician)
Ahn Cheol-Soo
2
Birthdate: February 26, 1962
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Pusan, South Korea
 22 
Eul-dong Kim
Eul-dong Kim
3
Birthdate: September 5, 1945
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Samcheong-dong
 23 
Kim Gu
(13th President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea)
Kim Gu
2
Birthdate: August 29, 1876
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Haeju, North Korea
Died: June 26, 1949
 24 
Kim Du-han
(Former Member of the National Assembly of South Korea)
Kim Du-han
2
Birthdate: May 15, 1918
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
Died: November 21, 1972
 25 
Chung Mong-joon
(Association football player, Politician)
Chung Mong-joon
2
Birthdate: October 17, 1951
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Busan
 26 
Jeong Dojeon
(Scholar-official)
Jeong Dojeon
1
Birthdate: 1342 AD
Birthplace: Danyang-gun, South Korea
Died: October 6, 1398
 27 
Chang Myon
(Former Vice President of South Korea)
Chang Myon
3
Birthdate: August 28, 1899
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Jongno District, Seoul
Died: June 4, 1966
 28 
Choe Deok-sin
(Politician, Diplomat)
Choe Deok-sin
0
Birthdate: September 17, 1914
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: South Korea
Died: November 14, 1989
 29 
Kim Kyu-sik
(Vice President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea (1940-1947))
Kim Kyu-sik
1
Birthdate: January 29, 1881
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dongnae-gu, Busan, South Korea
Died: December 10, 1950
 30 
Yun Chi-ho
(Political Activist and Thinker)
Yun Chi-ho
1
Birthdate: January 23, 1864
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dunpo-myeon, Asan-si, South Korea
Died: December 6, 1945
 31 
Chung Il-kwon
(8th Prime Minister of South Korea (1964 - 1970))
Chung Il-kwon
0
Birthdate: November 21, 1917
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Ussuriysk, Russia
Died: January 17, 1994

Russian-born Korean army general Chung Il Kwon had an Imperial Russian Army interpreter as a father. He had been the foreign minister and prime minister of Korea and part of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He also led South Korea in some of the most significant battles in the Korean War.

 32 
Jeong Seung-hwa
(General)
Jeong Seung-hwa
1
Birthdate: February 27, 1926
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bongsan-myeon, Gimcheon-si, South Korea
Died: June 12, 2002
 33 
Lee Cha-su
(Politician)
Lee Cha-su
1
Birthdate: June 6, 1957
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: South Korea
Died: March 9, 2020
 34 
Kim Seong-su
(2nd Vice President of South Korea)
Kim Seong-su
2
Birthdate: October 11, 1891
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: South Korea
Died: February 18, 1955
 35 
Lim O-kyeong
(South Korean Politician, Handball Player and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Lim O-kyeong
0
Birthdate: December 11, 1971
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Jeongeup, South Korea
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 36 
Chu Ki-chol
(Author)
Chu Ki-chol
0
Birthdate: November 25, 1897
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Jinhae-gu, South Korea
Died: April 21, 1944