Origins & Early Life

Paik Sun-yup (Korean: 백선엽; Hanja: 白善燁; November 23, 1920 – July 10, 2020) was a Republic of Korea Army four-star general who became the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1959 to 1960. Paik is best known for his service during the Korean War, becoming the first four-star general in the history of the South Korean military, and for his service as a diplomat and statesman for South Korea. Paik was born in Tokhung in Kangso County, South Pyeongan Province (called Heian'nan-dō - the Japanese transliteration of the Sino-Korean name Pyeongan-namdo, i.e. south Pyeongan province - during Japanese occupation), Korea, Empire of Japan on November 23, 1920.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was the second of three siblings, with an older sister and younger brother, being raised by a widowed mother. In 1925 the Paik family moved to Pyongyang (called Heijō during Japanese occupation), where they lived under deplorable conditions in a single, rented room. Unable to feed her family, Paik's mother attempted to commit family-suicide with her children by jumping from the Taedong River Bridge (at the time the Daidō River Bridge) but was dissuaded from doing so by her eldest daughter. Paik's mother...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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