Lee Jae-myung began his term as the 21st President on June 4, 2025, without a formal transition period. Lee, from Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, is a graduate of Chung-Ang University and represented the progressive Democratic Party. This event marks the welcoming of the 14th individual to hold the presidential office in South Korea. Let’s delve into the profiles of all the nation’s leaders, from the very first to the newly inaugurated. Profiles of South Korean Presidents 1st–3rd President: Rhee Syng-man 4th President: Yun Po-sun 5th–9th President: Park Chung-hee 10th President: Choi Kyu-hah 11th–12th President: Chun Doo-hwan 13th President: Roh Tae-woo 14th President: Kim Young-sam 15th President: Kim Dae-jung 16th President: Roh Moo-hyun 17th President: Lee Myung-bak 18th President: Park Geun-hye 19th President: Moon Jae-in 20th President: Yoon Suk Yeol 21st President: Lee Jae-myung South Korean Presidents by the Numbers: An Analysis Political Leanings and Power Transitions Out of 14 presidents, only one, Park Geun-hye, has been a woman. The political landscape has been dominated by conservative leaders. Four presidents have hailed from the progressive wing: Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, Moon Jae-in, and Lee Jae-myung. Six presidents came to power as members of the opposition party: Choi Kyu-hah, Kim Dae-jung, Lee Myung-bak, Moon Jae-in, Yoon Suk Yeol, and Lee Jae-myung. With the exception of Choi (who was an independent), these five elections resulted in a transfer of power from the ruling party to the opposition. The other eight presidents were elected from the ruling party. Geographic Origins: A Regional Breakdown The Gyeongsang provinces have produced the most presidents. Nine of the 14 leaders hail from this region: Other regions represented are: Educational Backgrounds The Korea Military Academy is the most common alma mater, with three presidents: Park Chung-hee, Chun Doo-hwan, and Roh Tae-woo. Seoul National University follows with two: Kim Young-sam and Yoon Suk Yeol. Three presidents received their higher education abroad: Rhee Syng-man (Princeton University, USA), Yun Po-sun (University of Edinburgh, UK), and Choi Kyu-hah (Datong Academy, China). Notably, two presidents were high school graduates: Kim Dae-jung (Mokpo Commercial High School) and Roh Moo-hyun (Busan Commercial High School). Other universities represented by one president each are Korea University (Lee Myung-bak), Sogang University (Park Geun-hye), Kyung Hee University (Moon Jae-in), and Chung-Ang University (Lee Jae-myung). Career Paths to the Presidency Age at Inauguration The presidents’ ages upon taking office span four decades: Presidential Tenure Excluding the incumbent, the longest-serving president was Park Chung-hee (approx. 15 years, 10 months), followed by Rhee Syng-man (approx. 11 years, 9 months), and Chun Doo-hwan (approx. 7 years, 6 months). Six presidents completed their single, five-year term: Roh Tae-woo, Kim Young-sam, Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, Lee Myung-bak, and Moon Jae-in. The presidents with shorter tenures are Park Geun-hye (approx. 4 years, 1 month), Yoon Suk Yeol (approx. 2 years, 11 months), Yun Po-sun (approx. 1 year, 7 months), and Choi Kyu-hah (approx. 8 months). The average tenure for the 13 presidents before Lee Jae-myung is approximately 5 years and 8 months. Family Life: Children at Inauguration Kim Young-sam had the most children at the start of his term, with two sons and three daughters. Several others had four children: Yun Po-sun (2 sons, 2 daughters), Park Chung-hee (1 son, 3 daughters), Chun Doo-hwan (3 sons, 1 daughter), Kim Dae-jung (3 sons, 1 daughter), and Lee Myung-bak (1 son, 3 daughters). Presidents with no children at the time of their inauguration were Rhee Syng-man, Park Geun-hye (unmarried), and Yoon Suk Yeol.