His Excellency
Goh Kun
고건
Goh in 2010
President of South Korea
Acting
12 March 2004 – 14 May 2004[a]
Prime MinisterHimself
Preceded byRoh Moo-hyun
Succeeded byRoh Moo-hyun
28th Prime Minister of South Korea
In office
4 March 1997 – 3 March 1998
PresidentKim Young-sam
Kim Dae-jung
Preceded byLee Soo Sung
Succeeded byKim Jong-pil
In office
26 February 2003 – 25 July 2004
PresidentRoh Moo-hyun
Preceded byKim Suk-soo
Succeeded byLee Hun Jai (acting)
Lee Hae Chan
22nd and 31st Mayor of Seoul
In office
5 December 1988 – 27 December 1990
Preceded byKim Yong-rae
Succeeded byPark Seh-jik
In office
1 July 1998 – 30 June 2002
Preceded byCho Soon
Kang Duk-ki (acting)
Succeeded byLee Myung-bak
Personal details
Born (1938-01-02) 2 January 1938 (age 86)
Keijō, Keiki-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan
(today Seoul, South Korea)
Political partyDemocratic Justice (1980–1990)
Democratic Liberal
(1990–1995)
Democratic (1998–2007)
Alma materSeoul National University (BS, MS)
Signature
Korean name
Hangul
고건
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGo Geon
McCune–ReischauerKo Kŏn

Goh Kun (Korean: 고건; Hanja: 高建, born 2 January 1938) is a South Korean politician who served as the Prime Minister of South Korea from 1997 to 1998 and again from 2003 to 2004. He was also the acting President of South Korea at the time of Roh Moo-hyun's suspension in 2004 and a former Mayor of Seoul.

Early life and education

Goh Kun was born on 2 January 1938 in modern day Seoul, South Korea and attended Kyunggi High School from 1953 to 1956.[1] In 1960, Goh earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Seoul National University, where he was President of the Student Council.[1] He returned to the university in 1968 and graduated with a master's degree in 1971, majoring in urban planning.[2]

Career

Goh began his career in civil service in the 1960s, when he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs as a probationary officer. He was promoted through various positions, including the Governor of South Jeolla from 1975 to 1979, the Minister of Transportation from 1980 to 1981 and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries from 1981 to 1982.[1]

In 1985, Goh was elected as a Member of the National Assembly,[1] before being appointed the mayor of Seoul in 1988.[3] When he refused to approve a questionable development proposal in 1990, he was removed from office.[2] However, he returned to the position in 1998, this time by election, and served until 2002.[4] During his tenure, he initiated a “10 million trees of life” program in the Seoul and sought more aggressive emissions standards, which led to a significant greening of the city.[2]

He served as Prime Minister of South Korea from 1997 to 1998 and from 2003 to 2004.[3][5]

He assumed the role of interim President following President Roh Moo-Hyun's impeachment, from 12 March 2004 until 14 May 2004, when the South Korean Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment decision and restored Roh's powers as President.[6][7] He resigned from the office of Prime Minister on 24 May 2004 after refusing to comply with the President's request to replace cabinet members.[8][9] He was succeeded in the office by Lee Hae-chan, who was approved on 30 June.[10] Along with Goh, three other cabinet members were also replaced.[11]

In June 2006, Goh announced his candidacy for the presidential race.[12]

On 16 January 2007, he announced that he would no longer be a candidate for the presidential elections and that he would retire from political life.[13] Despite his retirement, he was named head of social unity council by President Lee Myung-bak on 21 December 2009.[14][15]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ While President Roh's powers and duties were suspended

References

  1. ^ a b c d "고건 이력". 아젠다넷. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c News Staff (8 November 2004). "SU Board of Trustees elects Goh, honors Menschel". Syracuse University News. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b 고건 (in Korean). Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  4. ^ Ser, Myo-ja (12 March 2004). "Acting leader learned role through 6 administrations". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Former Prime Ministers". www.opm.go.kr. 7 January 2024.
  6. ^ Len, Samuel (13 March 2004). "Parliament Impeaches South Korea President". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 March 2004.
  7. ^ Len, Samuel (12 March 2004). "South Korea Parliament Votes To Strip President of Powers". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 March 2004.
  8. ^ "S.Korea PM resigns over row with president". United Press International. 15 May 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Roh accepts Prime Minister's resignation". New Zealand Herald. 25 May 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  10. ^ The Associated Press (30 June 2004). "Asia: South Korea: New Prime Minister". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  11. ^ "S. Korean President Replaces Three Cabinet Members - 2004-06-30". Voice of America. 30 June 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Goh Kun to Run for President on Center Coalition Ticket". The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 2 June 2006.
  13. ^ "South Korea Contender Drops Out". BBC News. 16 January 2007. Retrieved 16 January 2007.
  14. ^ "Goh Kun to seek social integration". Korea JoongAng Daily. 22 December 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  15. ^ "[Editorial] Achieving social unity in S. Korea requires a change in Lee's domestic policies". The Hankyoreh. 22 December 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2024.

External links

Political offices Preceded byKim Yong-rae Mayor of Seoul 1988–1990 Succeeded byPark Seh-jik Preceded byKang Duk-ki Mayor of Seoul 1998–2002 Succeeded byLee Myung-bak Preceded byLee Soo-sung Prime Minister of South Korea 1997–1998 Succeeded byKim Jong-pil Preceded byKim Suk-soo Prime Minister of South Korea 2003–2004 Succeeded byLee Haechan Preceded byRoh Moo-hyun President of South Korea Acting 2004 While President Roh's powers and duties were suspended Succeeded byRoh Moo-hyun
Prime ministers of South Korea (List)
Presidents of South Korea (List)
Mayors of Seoul
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