President of South Korea
| President of the Republic of Korea
대한민국 대통령 大韓民國大統領 | |
|---|---|
 Presidential seal | |
 Presidential standard | |
| Executive branch of the Government of South Korea Office of the President | |
| Style |
|
| Status | |
| Member of |
|
| Residence | Presidential Residence of South Korea |
| Seat | Seoul |
| Appointer | Direct popular vote |
| Term length | Five years, Non renewable |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of South Korea (1948) |
| Precursor | President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea |
| Formation | 24 July 1948 |
| First holder | Syngman Rhee |
| Unofficial names | President of South Korea |
| Deputy | Prime Minister of South Korea |
| Salary | ₩240,648,000/USD$ 165,084 annually (2024)[1] |
| Website | Official website (in English) Official website (in Korean) |
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The President of the Republic of Korea is the head of state, leader of the executive of the South Korean government and the commander-in-chief of the South Korean Armed Forces.
The president is directly elected by the people to a five-year term, with no possibility of re-election.[2] While in office, the chief executive lives in Cheong Wa Dae (the "Blue House").
If the National Assembly votes against a presidential decision, it will be declared void immediately.
Powers and duties of the president
The president is required to:
- uphold the Constitution
- preserve the safety and homeland of South Korea
- work for the peaceful reunification of Korea, typically act as the Chairperson of the National Unification Advisory Council
List of presidents
Living former presidents
As of June 2026, four former presidents are alive:
| Image | Name | Term of office | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Lee Myung-bak | 2008–2013 | 84 years, 192 days |
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Park Geun-hye | 2013–2017 | 74 years, 147 days |
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Moon Jae-in | 2017–2022 | 73 years, 168 days |
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Yoon Suk Yeol | 2022–2025 | 65 years, 193 days |
The longest-lived President was Yun Bo-seon, who died on July 18, 1990 (at the age of 92 years, 326 days).
The most recent President to die was Chun Doo-hwan, who died on November 23, 2021.
References
- ↑ Executive Order: 공무원보수규정(제31380호)(20210105) / (별표 32) 고정급적 연봉제 적용대상 공무원의 연봉표(제35조 관련) (in Korean)
- ↑ Article 70 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea.
Other websites
- Official Website of the President of the Republic of Korea Archived 2006-10-14 at the Wayback Machine