First Lady of South Korea

wife of the president of South Korea

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
ResidencePresidential residence
Inaugural holderPark Seung-sun
Formation24 July 1948 (72 years ago)
Unofficial namesFirst Lady of South Korea
Websitewww.president.go.kr

The 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
June 15, 1900 – March 19, 1992 (aged 91)

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
  Park Geun-hye[note 1]

(박근혜 / 朴槿惠) Born (1952-02-02) February 2, 1952 (age 73)

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 (1939-03-24) March 24, 1939 (age 86)

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 (1935-09-08) September 8, 1935 (age 89)

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 (1947-12-23) December 23, 1947 (age 77)

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 (1947-12-23) December 23, 1947 (age 77)

14 May 2004

– February 24, 2008

56 years, 143 days Roh Moo-hyun

m. 1972

19   Kim Yoon-ok

(김윤옥 / 金潤玉) Born (1947-03-26) March 26, 1947 (age 78)

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 (1954-11-15) November 15, 1954 (age 70)

May 10, 2017

– May 9, 2022

62 years, 176 days Moon Jae-in

m. 1981

23   Kim Keon-hee

(김건희 / 金建希) Born (1972-09-02) September 2, 1972 (age 52)

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)
  1. Husband suspended by the National Assembly on 14 December 2024
  2. 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.
  1. 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]
  2. The President at the time, Park Geun-hye, was single, having never married.[2]

References

change
  1. "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.
  2. 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...