Reuters/Seoul
South Korean former president Roh Tae-woo, a decorated war veteran who played a pivotal but controversial role in the transition to democratic elections from rule by authoritarian leaders, has died, a Seoul hospital confirmed.
The 88-year-old died on Tuesday, a Seoul National University Hospital official said, without citing the cause of death.
Roh had been in poor health since 2002 when he received surgery for prostate cancer and was repeatedly hospitalized in recent years.
In the space of a few decades, Roh went from military coup conspirator to South Korea's first popularly elected president, before ending his political career in ignominy with a jail sentence for treason and corruption.
"I now feel limitlessly shameful for being a former president," Roh told the public in a tearful televised apology in 1995 for secretly amassing a $654 million slush fund while in office.
N Korea’s Kim urges stronger war deterrent
North Korea says hundreds of families ill with unidentified intestinal disease
S.Korea strike disrupts shipments of key cleaning agent for chipmaking
S.Korea, US, Japan lambaste N.Korea missile tests, urge return to talks
US, South Korea fly warplanes after North's missile tests
S. Korea, US fire ballistic missiles in response to N. Korea tests
N.Korea fires volley of missiles, South calls it a 'test' of new government
S Korea, US stage rare drills with air carrier
US, South Korea, Japan envoys meet on North Korea nuclear tension
There are no comments.