History of Park Geun-hye

Park Geun-hye, a prominent South Korean politician, has had a career marked by significant highs and deeply troubling lows. Born on February 2, 1952, in Samdeok-dong, Daegu, South Korea, she is the first daughter of Park Chung-hee, who was President of South Korea from 1963 until his assassination in 1979.

Park Geun-hye's early life was profoundly shaped by her father’s political career. She was thrust into the public eye at a young age, and her upbringing was closely entwined with South Korea's political landscape. Her mother, Yuk Young-soo, was assassinated in 1974, an event that thrust the young Park Geun-hye into a significant quasi-first lady role until her father's assassination in 1979.

Education was a cornerstone of her early years. Park graduated from Sacred Heart Girls' High School in Seoul and went on to study electrical engineering at Sogang University, earning her bachelor's degree in 1974. Following her father's death, Park spent some time abroad, moving to France but eventually returned to South Korea engrossed back into the vestiges of her family’s political legacy, though initially maintaining a relatively low political profile.

Her formal entry into politics came in the late 1990s. Following the collapse of her father's party, the Democratic Republican Party, Park joined the new political challenger, the Grand National Party (GNP), which later rebranded as the Liberty Korea Party. Her initial foray into politics was challenging, but Park quickly rose through the ranks owing to her family legacy, resilience, and political acumen.

She was first elected as a National Assembly representative in 1998, marking the beginning of a notable political career. Between 2004 and 2006, she served as Chairwoman of the Grand National Party, during which she proved to be an astute politician, leading her party to a surprising victory in the 2004 parliamentary elections despite low expectations. Her political prowess earned her the nickname “The Queen of Elections.”

Her success within the National Assembly and as party chair was a stepping stone to higher political aspirations. This culminated in her candidacy for the presidency in 2012, a campaign she embarked on amidst much national attention. As the daughter of a former president, Park’s candidacy was both celebrated by those nostalgic for her father's strongman rule and criticized by those who remained wary of his legacy.

In December 2012, Park Geun-hye won the presidential election, becoming South Korea's first female president—a remarkable achievement in a country where gender traditionalism has long held sway. Her victory was a significant moment in South Korean history, celebrated as a potential new era towards more inclusive governance.

Her presidency, which began in February 2013, initially focused on economic reforms, welfare expansion, and bolstering national security amid persistent tensions with North Korea. She aimed to foster trustpolitik—a strategy focused on building trust through dialogue while maintaining a strong defense posture. Domestically, she sought to revitalize the South Korean economy and address issues such as youth unemployment and welfare.

However, Park's presidency was soon mired in controversy, leading to her dramatic fall from grace. The turning point came with the 2016 political scandal involving her close confidante, Choi Soon-sil—a private citizen who, it was alleged, wielded undue influence over governmental affairs. Corruption charges suggested that Choi extorted millions from South Korean conglomerates, using her closeness to the president for financial gain.

Public outrage over the scandal was immense, leading to mass protests across the country calling for Park's resignation. Her approval ratings plummeted from a high of 63% to just 4% following the outbreak of the scandal, reflecting the extent of public disillusionment.

In December 2016, the South Korean National Assembly voted overwhelmingly to impeach her, a decision upheld by the Constitutional Court in March 2017, making Park the first South Korean president to be removed from office through impeachment. Her removal marked the start of a new chapter of accountability in South Korean politics, demonstrating a push towards greater transparency and integrity within government.

In 2018, Park Geun-hye was convicted on multiple charges related to the corruption scandal, including abuse of power and coercion. She was sentenced to 24 years in prison, a stark contrast to her once-revered position at the peak of her political career. Her conviction underscored the legal system's determination to hold the powerful accountable, regardless of their previous status.

Despite her imprisonment, Park remained a figure of significant interest in South Korean politics. Discussions around her legacy continue, highlighting the complex interplay of her father's authoritarian legacy, her historic election as a female president, and the significant corruption scandal that capped her political career. In December 2021, Park was granted a presidential pardon by President Moon Jae-in, a move seen as a gesture of national reconciliation.

The career of Park Geun-hye is emblematic of the dynamic and often turbulent nature of South Korean politics, illustrating the nation's journey toward democratic maturity and transparency. Her story serves as both a cautionary tale and a point of discussion about accountability and the influence of familial political legacies in modern democratic institutions.