Jail, disgrace and death: the dark fates of South Korean leadersA picture of former South Korean president Park Chung-Hee and his wife is displayed in Seoul at a photo exhibit on the dictator's 1979 assassination. The 65-year-old hardline conservative is far from the first South Korean leader to have his term end in tatters. 2016: Park impeached, jailedThe daughter of former dictator Park Chung-hee, Park Geun-hye was the first woman president of South Korea and had presented herself as incorruptible. Roh and Chun had been close for decades, first meeting as classmates at military academy during the Korean War. Roh was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in jail, later reduced to 17 years, while Chun was sentenced to death, later commuted to life in prison.

Source: Bangkok Post February 19, 2026 09:22 UTC