Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Chun Doo-hwan

Role / Field:

South Korean general and politician who served as the fifth President of South Korea.

Born:

1931-01-18

Died:

2021-11-23

Century / Era:

1931s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Chun Doo-hwan (Korean: 전두환; pronounced [tɕʌn duβwan]; 18 January 1931 – 23 November 2021) was a South Korean army general and politician who served as the fifth President of South Korea from 1980 to 1988. A member of the military, he ruled the country as a military dictator following a successful coup in December 1979. The period encompassing his presidency is known as the Fifth Republic of Korea. Born in Hapcheon County, Korea, Empire of Japan, Chun graduated from Korea Military Academy in 1955 with a bachelor's degree in science.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He usurped power after the 1979 assassination of president Park Chung Hee, who was himself a military dictator who had ruled since 1961. Chun orchestrated the 12 December 1979 military coup, then cemented his military rule in the 17 May 1980 military coup in which he declared martial law and later set up a concentration camp for "purificatory education". He established the Fifth Republic of Korea on 3 March 1981. He governed under a constitution somewhat less authoritarian than Park's Fourth Republic, but still held very broad executive power, and used extreme violence to maintain it. During his tenure, South Korea's economy grew at its highest rate ever...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Contemporary (Born in 1931) (1931): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Adolfo Pérez Esquivel — Contemporary (Born in 1931) (1931): Argentine activist and Nobel Peace laureate for human rights defense.
• Akseli Gallen-Kallela — Contemporary (Died in 1931) (1931): Leading Finnish painter and pioneer of national romantic art, famed for the Kalevala.
• Aaron Beck — Contemporary (Died in 2021) (2021): Father of Cognitive Therapy and CBT, revolutionizing psychiatric treatment.
• Abdul Qadeer Khan — Contemporary (Died in 2021) (2021): Pakistani nuclear physicist, known as the 'father of Pakistan's atomic weapons program'
• Abimael Guzmán — Contemporary (Died in 2021) (2021): Peruvian Maoist revolutionary leader, founder of the Shining Path.
• A. A. Milne — Shared historical date (01-18 · Born) (1882): Celebrated English author, famed for Winnie-the-Pooh and children's literature.
• Adriana Caselotti — Shared historical date (01-18 · Died) (1997): American actress and singer, famed for voicing Snow White in the first Disney feature.
• Afanasy Fet — Shared historical date (11-23 · Born) (1820): Master of Russian lyric verse, Afanasy Fet's poetry captured the ephemeral beauty of life.
• Ahmad ibn Hanbal — Shared historical date (11-23 · Born) (780): Founding scholar of the Hanbali school, renowned for vast Hadith memorization.
• 1931 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1931
• January 18 (01-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 18
• 2021 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2021
• November 23 (11-23) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 23

Frequently Asked Questions about Chun Doo-hwan