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The first lady of the Republic of Korea (Korean: 대한민국 대통령 영부인; Hanja: 大韓民國 大統領 令夫人; RR: daehanmingug daetonglyeong yeongbu-in), commonly known as the first lady of South Korea, is the title held by the hostess of the presidential residence, usually the wife of the president of South Korea.
| First Lady of the Republic of Korea | |
|---|---|
| 대한민국 대통령 영부인 | |
_(cropped).jpg) | |
| Residence | Presidential residence |
| Inaugural holder | Franziska Donner |
| Formation | 24 July 1948 (72 years ago) |
| Unofficial names | First Lady of South Korea |
| Website | www |
The current first lady is Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been in office since 10 May 2022.
History
editDuring the administration of President Park Chung Hee, the first lady Yuk Young-soo was killed. Afterwards, Park's daughter, Park Geun-hye, assumed the duties of first lady after her mother.[1]
Park Geun-hye later became president herself, making her the first and only female president of South Korea, However, as she was never married while in office, there has yet to be a first gentleman of Korea.[2]
List of first ladies of the Republic of Korea
edit| President No. |
Picture | Name | Tenure | Age at the start of tenure | President (Husband, unless noted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Franziska Donner (프란체스카 도너) Birth country: Austria-Hungary June 15, 1900 – March 19, 1992 (aged 91) |
August 15, 1948 – April 26, 1960 |
48 years, 61 days | Syngman Rhee m. October 8, 1934 |
| 2 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 4 | 
|
Gong Deok-gwi (공덕귀 / 孔德貴) April 21, 1911 – November 24, 1997 (aged 86) |
August 13, 1960 – March 23, 1962 |
49 years, 114 days | Yun Posun m. January 6, 1949 |
| 5 | 
|
Yuk Young-soo (육영수 / 陸英修) November 29, 1925 – August 15, 1974 (aged 48) |
December 17, 1963 – August 15, 1974 |
38 years, 18 days | Park Chung Hee m. December 12, 1950 |
| 6 | |||||
| 7 | |||||
| 8 | |||||
|
Park Geun-hye[note 1] (박근혜 / 朴槿惠) Born February 2, 1952 |
August 16, 1974 – October 26, 1979 |
22 years, 195 days | Park Chung Hee (daughter) | |
| 9 | |||||
| 10 | 
|
Hong Gi (홍기 / 洪基) March 3, 1916 – July 20, 2004 (aged 88) |
December 6, 1979 – August 15, 1980 |
63 years, 278 days | Choi Kyu-hah m. 1935 |
| 11 | 
|
Lee Soon-ja (이순자 / 李順子) Born March 24, 1939 |
September 1, 1980 – February 24, 1988 |
41 years, 161 days | Chun Doo-hwan m. 1958 |
| 12 | |||||
| 13 | 
|
Kim Ok-suk (김옥숙 / 金玉淑) Born September 8, 1935 |
February 25, 1988 – February 24, 1993 |
52 years, 198 days | Roh Tae-woo m. 1959 |
| 14 | 
|
Son Myung-soon (손명순 / 孫命順) January 16, 1929 – March 7, 2024 (aged 95) |
February 25, 1993 – February 24, 1998 |
64 years, 40 days | Kim Young-sam m. 1951 |
| 15 | 
|
Lee Hee-ho (이희호 / 李姬鎬) September 21, 1922 – June 10, 2019 (aged 96) |
February 25, 1998 – February 24, 2003 |
75 years, 157 days | Kim Dae-jung m. 1962 |
| 16 | 
|
Kwon Yang-sook (권양숙 / 權良淑) Born December 23, 1947 |
February 25, 2003 – February 24, 2008 |
55 years, 64 days | Roh Moo-hyun m. 1973 |
| 17 | .jpg)
|
Kim Yoon-ok (김윤옥 / 金潤玉) Born March 26, 1947 |
February 25, 2008 – February 24, 2013 |
60 years, 336 days | Lee Myung-bak m. December 19, 1970 |
| 18 | Vacant[note 2] | February 25, 2013 – March 10, 2017 |
Park Geun-hye | ||
| 19 | 
|
Kim Jung-sook (김정숙 / 金正淑) Born November 15, 1954 |
May 10, 2017 – May 9, 2022 |
62 years, 176 days | Moon Jae-in m. 1981 |
| 20 |
|
Kim Keon-hee (김건희 / 金建希) Born September 2, 1972 |
May 10, 2022 – Incumbent |
49 years, 250 days | Yoon Suk Yeol m. 2012 |
Notes
edit- ^ Park Geun-hye is the daughter of Park Chung Hee, and took over as First Lady following the murder of her mother, Yuk Young-soo.[3]
- ^ The President at the time, Park Geun-hye, was single, having never married.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Carter J. Eckert, Ki-baik Lee, Young Ick Lew, Michael Robinson, and Edward W. Wagner, Korea Old and New: A History (Seoul: Ilchokak / Korea Institute, Harvard University, 1990), 377.
- ^ "Park Geun-hye: South Korea's first female president". BBC News. BBC. December 19, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ "Profile: South Korean President Park Geun-hye". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
When her mother was murdered by a North Korean gunman in 1974, Ms Park served as first lady at the age of 22.
- ^ Phelan, Jessica (January 31, 2014). "All The Single Leaders: The world's most eligible heads of state". Public Radio International. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
Park said she hasn't taken a husband because she's already married to her country...