Choi Kyu-hah

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In this Korean name, the family name is Choi.
His Excellency
Choi Kyu-hah
최규하
崔圭夏
File:Presidents of the Republic Of Korea (4261836786) Choi.jpg
Official portrait, 1979
4th President of South Korea
In office
October 26, 1979 – August 16, 1980
Acting to December 6, 1979
Prime Minister Shin Hyun-hwak
Park Choong-hoon
Preceded by Park Chung-hee
Succeeded by Chun Doo-hwan
Prime Minister of South Korea
In office
December 18, 1975 – December 12, 1979
President Park Chung-hee
Preceded by Kim Jong-pil
Succeeded by Shin Hyun-hwak
Personal details
Born (1919-07-16)July 16, 1919
Genshū-men, Genshū-gun, Kōgen-dō, Korea
(now Wonju, Gangwon, South Korea)
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Resting place Daejeon National Cemetery (since October 26. 2006)
Nationality South Korean
Political party Independent
Spouse(s) Hong Gi (m. 1935)
Alma mater Tokyo Higher Normal School
Signature Choi Kyu-hah's signature
Korean name
Hangul 최규하
Hanja 崔圭夏
Revised Romanization Choe Gyu(-)ha
McCune–Reischauer Ch'oe Kyuha
Pen name
Hangul 현석
Hanja 玄石
Revised Romanization Hyeonseok
McCune–Reischauer Hyŏnsŏk
Courtesy name
Hangul 서옥
Hanja 瑞玉
Revised Romanization Seo(-)ok
McCune–Reischauer Sŏok

Choi Kyu-hah (Hangul: 최규하; hanja: 崔圭夏; IPA: [tɕʰø ɡjuha, - kjuha]; July 16, 1919 – October 22, 2006), also spelled Choi Kyu-ha or Choi Gyu-ha, was a South Korean politician who served as the fourth president of South Korea from 1979 to 1980.

Early life

Choi was born in Wonju-myeon, Wonju, Gangwon-do (South Korea) in Korea under Japanese rule. Choi was born into a Yangban family; his grandfather had been a scholar at the Sungkyunkwan. During the period of Japanese rule, Choi used the name Umehara Keiichi (梅原圭一?).

After graduating from Kyunggi High School and the Tokyo Higher Normal School (ja) (today Tokyo University of Education (ja)) with diplomas in English language and literature, Choi briefly worked as a teacher at the Taikyū Public Junior High School, before moving to Manchukuo for studies at the Taidō Academy (ja). Choi graduated in 1943; two years later he became a professor at the Keijō Normal School.

Political career

Choi served as Ambassador to Malaysia from 1964 to 1967, foreign minister from 1967 to 1971; and as prime minister from 1975 to 1979.

After the assassination of Park Chung-hee in 1979, Choi became acting president; the prime minister stood next in line for the presidency under Article 48 of the Yushin Constitution. Due to the unrest resulting from Park's authoritarian rule, Choi promised democratic elections, as under Park elections had been widely seen as rigged. Choi also promised a new constitution to replace the highly authoritarian Yushin Constitution. Choi was the sole candidate in an election on 6 December for the balance of Park's term, becoming the country's fourth president.

Coup and resignation

In December 1979, Major General Chun Doo-hwan and close allies within the military staged a coup d'état against Choi's government. They quickly removed the army chief of staff and virtually controlled the government by early 1980.

In April 1980, due to increasing pressure from Chun and other politicians, Choi appointed Chun head of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. In May, Chun declared martial law and dropped all pretense of civilian government, becoming the de facto ruler of the country. By then, student protests were escalating in Seoul and Gwangju. The protests in Gwangju resulted in the Gwangju uprising in which about 987 civilians were killed within a five-day period by Chun's military.

Choi was forced to resign soon after the uprising. Prime Minister Park Chung-hoon became acting president, until Chun's election as President on September 1, 1980.

Later life

After his resignation, Choi lived quietly out of the public eye and died on October 22, 2006.[1] His funeral was held on October 26, 2006, and was attended by President Roh Moo-hyun, first lady Kwon Yang-sook, Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, former presidents Chun Doo-hwan, Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung. Choi was buried in Daejeon National Cemetery.[2]

See also

References

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External links

Political offices
Preceded by President of South Korea
October 26, 1979–August 16, 1980		 Succeeded by
Chun Doo-hwan
Preceded by Prime Minister of South Korea
December 18, 1975–October 26, 1979		 Succeeded by
Shin Hyun-hwak

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