The first lady of the Republic of Korea (Hangul: 대한민국 대통령 영부인; Hanja: 大韓民國 大統領 令夫人; RR: daehanmingug daetonglyeong yeongbu-in), also known as the first lady of South Korea, is the title held by the hostess of the presidential residence, usually the wife of the president of South Korea.
| First Lady of the Republic of Korea
대한민국 대통령 영부인 | |
|---|---|
 | |
Incumbent Choi Ah-young (Acting) since 24 March 2025 | |
| Residence | Presidential residence |
| Inaugural holder | Park Seung-sun |
| Formation | 24 July 1948 (72 years ago) |
| Unofficial names | First Lady of South Korea |
| Website | www |
Role
changeThe first lady is not elected by the citizens of South Korea, although there are no official jobs she is required to do and not paid for being the first lady, she is often involved in political campaigns, managements of the Blue House (former residence; now officially the Presidential Residence of South Korea), supporting social causes and representing and accompanying the president to and at official and ceremonial events. First spouses have focused on different initiatives and has a strong influence on public opinion of policy to fashion.
List of first ladies of the Republic of Korea
change| President
No. |
Picture | Name | Tenure | Age at the start of tenure | President
(Husband, unless noted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Park Seung-sun
(박승선 / 朴承善) July 9, 1876 – July 30, 1950 (aged 74) |
July 24, 1948
– July 4, 1949 |
72 years, 43 days | Syngman Rhee
m. 1891 | |
| 1 | 
|
Franziska Donner
(프란체스카 도너)
Birth country: Austria-Hungary |
August 15, 1948
– April 26, 1960 |
48 years, 354 days | Syngman Rhee
m. October 8, 1934 |
| 2 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 4 | 
|
Gong Deok-gwi
(공덕귀 / 孔德貴) April 21, 1911 – November 24, 1997 (aged 86) |
August 13, 1960
– March 23, 1962 |
49 years, 114 days | Yun Posun
m. January 6, 1949 |
| 5 | 
|
Yuk Young-soo
(육영수 / 陸英修) November 29, 1925 – August 15, 1974 (aged 48) |
December 17, 1963
– August 15, 1974 |
38 years, 18 days | Park Chung Hee
m. December 12, 1950 |
| 6 | |||||
| 7 | |||||
| 8 | |||||
_(cropped).jpg)
|
Park Geun-hye[note 1]
(박근혜 / 朴槿惠) Born February 2, 1952 |
August 16, 1974
– October 26, 1979 |
22 years, 195 days | Park Chung Hee
(daughter) | |
| 9 | |||||
| 10 | Hong Gi
(홍기 / 洪基) March 3, 1916 – July 20, 2004 (aged 88) |
December 6, 1979
– August 15, 1980 |
63 years, 278 days | Choi Kyu-hah
m. 1935 | |
| 11 | 
|
Lee Soon-ja
(이순자 / 李順子) Born March 24, 1939 |
September 1, 1980
– February 24, 1988 |
41 years, 161 days | Chun Doo-hwan
m. January 24, 1958 |
| 12 | |||||
| 13 | 
|
Kim Ok-suk
(김옥숙 / 金玉淑) Born September 8, 1935 |
February 25, 1988
– February 24, 1993 |
52 years, 198 days | Roh Tae-woo
m. May 31, 1959 |
| 14 | 
|
Son Myung-soon
(손명순 / 孫命順) January 16, 1929 – March 7, 2024 (aged 95) |
February 25, 1993
– February 24, 1998 |
64 years, 40 days | Kim Young-sam
m. 1951 |
| 15 | 
|
Lee Hee-ho
(이희호 / 李姬鎬) September 21, 1922 – June 10, 2019 (aged 96) |
February 25, 1998
– February 24, 2003 |
75 years, 157 days | Kim Dae-jung
m. 1962 |
| 16 | 
|
Kwon Yang-sook
(권양숙 / 權良淑) Born December 23, 1947 |
February 25, 2003
– 12 March 2004 |
55 years, 64 days | Roh Moo-hyun
m. 1972 |
| 17 | Cho Hyun-sook
(조현숙 / 趙賢淑) 1938 – September 29, 2021 (aged 83) |
12 March, 2004
– 14 May 2004 |
Go Kun
m. 1960 (acting) | ||
| 18 |
|
Kwon Yang-sook
(권양숙 / 權良淑) Born December 23, 1947 |
14 May 2004
– February 24, 2008 |
56 years, 143 days | Roh Moo-hyun
m. 1972 |
| 19 | .jpg)
|
Kim Yoon-ok
(김윤옥 / 金潤玉) Born March 26, 1947 |
February 25, 2008
– February 24, 2013 |
60 years, 336 days | Lee Myung-bak
m. December 19, 1970 |
| 20 | Vacant[note 2] | February 25, 2013
– March 10, 2017 |
Park Geun-hye | ||
| 21 | Choi Ji-young
(최지영) Born 1963 |
9 December 2016
– 10 May 2017 |
Hwang Gyo-ahn
(Acting) | ||
| 22 | 
|
Kim Jung-sook
(김정숙 / 金正淑) Born November 15, 1954 |
May 10, 2017
– May 9, 2022 |
62 years, 176 days | Moon Jae-in
m. 1981 |
| 23 | 
|
Kim Keon-hee
(김건희 / 金建希) Born September 2, 1972 |
May 10, 2022
– 4 April 2025 [a] |
49 years, 250 days | Yoon Suk Yeol
m. 2012 |
| 24 | Choi Ah-young | 14 December 2024
– 27 December 2024 24 March 2025 - Incumbent |
Han Duck-soo (acting) | ||
| 25 | Vacant[b] | 27 December 2024
– 24 March 2025 |
Choi Sang-mok (acting) | ||
- ↑ Husband suspended by the National Assembly on 14 December 2024
- ↑ Yoon Suk Yeol has been impeached since 14 December 2024, and Han Duck-soo has been impeached since 27 December 2024. The current acting president, Choi Sang-mok, is not married.
Notes
change- ↑ Park Geun-hye is the daughter of Park Chung Hee, and took over as First Lady following the murder of her mother, Yuk Young-soo.[1]
- ↑ The President at the time, Park Geun-hye, was single, having never married.[2]
References
change
- ↑ "Profile: South Korean President Park Geun-hye". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
When her mother was murdered by a North Korean gunman in 1974, Ms Park served as first lady at the age of 22.
- ↑ Phelan, Jessica (31 January 2014). "All The Single Leaders: The world's most eligible heads of state". Public Radio International. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
Park said she hasn't taken a husband because she's already married to her country...
