Roh Jae-hyun
Roh Jae-hyun 노재현 盧載鉉 | |
|---|---|
 Roh speaking as the President of the Korean Freedom Federation in the 1990s. | |
| Born | 8 August 1926 Masan, Keishōnan-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan |
| Died | 25 September 2019 (aged 93) Seoul, South Korea |
| Allegiance |  Empire of Japan South Korea |
| Service/ |  Republic of Korea Army |
| Years of service | 1947-1975 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | 30th Infantry Division 7th Infantry Division II Corps Republic of Korea Army Deputy Chief of Staff Republic of Korea Army Chief of Staff Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| Battles/wars | Korean War Vietnam War December 12th Coup |
| Other work | Minister of National Defense (1977-1979) |
Roh Jae-hyun (Korean: 노재현; Hanja: 盧載鉉; 8 August 1926 – 25 September 2019) was a retired general of the Republic of Korea Army and politician who served as the 21st Minister of National Defense. He resigned ungracefully after the Coup d'état of December Twelfth.
Education[edit]
- 1945 Graduated from Changshin High School in Masan, Gyeongsangnam-do
- 1947 Graduated from Korea Military Academy, 3rd Graduating Class
- 1949 Graduated from Republic of Korea Army Infantry School
- 1950 Graduated from U.S. Army Artillery School
- 1951 Graduated from Republic of Korea Army Armor School
- 1957 Graduated from Republic of Korea Army College
- 1960 6th Bachelor of Public Administration, Korea National Defense University
- 1965 Master of Public Administration, Korea National Defense University[1]
Military career[edit]
He served as the commander of the artillery division of the 25th Division and the commander of the artillery division of the I Corps in 1954, Principal of the Army Artillery School in 1956, Commander of the 30th Division in 1957, Commander of the 7th Division in 1960, Inspector General of the Army Headquarters in 1962, Commander of the Army Logistics Base in 1964, Commander of the II Corps in 1966, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army in 1969, and then the 20th Chief of Staff of the Army and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before retiring as a General of the Army.[2]
Role in the December 12th Coup[edit]
He became the 21st Minister of National Defense in 1977. During the December 12th Coup d'état, he fleed from his position and brought his entire family to the Yongsan Garrison to seek protection from the Americans before being advised to go back to duty. After reluctantly returning to the army command, he refused to give order of arresting Chun Doo-Hwan or other rebel leaders due to previously receiving their bribe. Instead, he ordered the arrest of Army Chief of Staff Jeong Seung-hwa to appease the rebels. Shortly thereafter, he resigned from politics.[3][4]
Later life[edit]
From 1981, he served as the president of Korea Chemical Industries, and after retiring from politics, he was elected chairman of the board of directors of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology in 1981 and president of the Korea Fertilizer Industry Association in 1982. In 1988, he resigned as chairman of the Chemical Research Institute and of the Fertilizer Industry Association. In 1991, he was elected as the second president of the Korea Freedom Federation, and in 1995, he briefly served as a special member of the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy.[5]
References[edit]
- ^ "헌국외교 60년" (PDF). 대한민국 외교통상부. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "신임 합동참모회의 의장 임충식 장군". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). 1 April 1967. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
- ^ Park, Won Gon. "The U.S. Carter Administration and Korea in the 12/12 Incident: Concession of Moral Diplomacy" (PDF). Korean Social Sciences Review. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ Han, In Sup (2005). "Kwangju and beyond: Coping with past State Atrocities in South Korea". Human Rights Quarterly. 27 (3): 998–1045. ISSN 0275-0392. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ 유강문 (25 September 2019). "'12·12 쿠데타'로 물러난 노재현 전 국방장관 별세". ‘12·12 쿠데타’로 물러난 노재현 전 국방장관 별세 (in Korean). Retrieved 16 February 2024.