The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Finance
  • Policies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Banks
  • Non-banks
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
  • Translation Award
Entertainment
  • K-pop
  • K-dramas & Shows
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Performances
  • Asia Model Festival
Sports
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Baseball
  • Other Sports
World
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe & Africa
  • SCMP
Video
  • On the Spot
  • Feature
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
Community
  • The Korea Times
  • all menu
  • search
  • facebookfacebook
  • twittertwitter
  • youtubeyoutube
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • all menu
  • search
  • facebookfacebook
  • twittertwitter
  • youtubeyoutube
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
Wed, December 11, 2019 | 09:37
Thoughts of the Times
Next president, not 19th but 12th!
Posted : 2017-05-04 17:11
Updated : 2017-05-04 17:52
Mail
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
By Kwon Yule-jung

The presidential election is just around the corner following the final impeachment judgment by the Constitutional Court. The election is to be held on May 9. The next president is to be called the 19th.

Koreans and foreigners alike may think that there are 18 former presidents including the disgraced lady president in modern Korea. However, there are only 11 including Park Geun-hye. Unlike the United States, Korea's presidency order relies on election terms.

As a result, the first Syngman Rhee spanned three periods of the presidency and the third president Park Chung-hee five from the 5th to 9th, and the actual fifth president Chun Doo-hwan is the 11th and 12th "president." Except for those three former presidents with plural election terms, the other 8 have served only one term of presidency.

The presidency order of the United States, which is the typical standard of presidential systems, with a 238 year long history, is based on the order of presidents themselves. The 69 year long presidential history of Korea may catch up with the States in terms of presidential order in the years to come. The recently inaugurated Donald Trump is the 45th president. However, it is not true that there have been 45 presidents in the U.S. list of presidents. It is 44. There is one president with two non-consecutive terms. He is Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th. Franklin D. Roosevelt is known as the four-term president. He is the 32nd president. The shortest working president is the 9th William Henry Harrison with only one month. He died of pneumonia on April 4 in 1841 just one month after he was inaugurated on March 4.

As shown above, Korea's presidential order is faulty according to global standards and common sense. It is very natural that those problems should be sorted out immediately. The upcoming president's election is not the 19th but definitely the 12th.


The writer is chief director of the Daejeon National Cemetery. Write to england6227@hanmail.net


[Election 2017] Early voting turnout strong
More than 4.97 million people had cast their ballots nationwide on the first day of two-day early voting for the May 9 presidential election, Thursday. With more people expected to...








 
 
  • number164 Vietnamese students vanish in South Korea
  • numberSeoul's home prices to continue on upward spiral
  • numberEx-Daewoo Group Chairman Kim Woo-choong dies at 82
  • numberKorean's first-ever Filipino street food tour at QUIAPO MARKET in Manila [VIDEO]
  • numberMoon to hold summits with Xi, Abe
  • numberFormer Daewoo Group Chairman Kim Woo-choong dies at 82
  • numberUltrafine dust rising to 'very bad' levels in Seoul
  • numberDaughter of Herald ex-head gets suspended jail term for drug use
  • numberRocketman vs. Dotard: war of words is back
  • numberFootwear malfunction in front of Kim Il-sung
  • Kim Gun-mo accused of rape Kim Gun-mo accused of rape
  • TWICE Jihyo injured at airport due to fans TWICE Jihyo injured at airport due to fans
  • TV show airs singer Kim Gun-mo's love story despite sexual assault claim TV show airs singer Kim Gun-mo's love story despite sexual assault claim
  • U2 says 'women of the world unite' in Korea U2 says 'women of the world unite' in Korea
  • Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin appear in TV series after romantic rumors Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin appear in TV series after romantic rumors
DARKROOM
  • Children deserve better

    Children deserve better

  • Global climate change: time is running out

    Global climate change: time is running out

  • CA cave fire burns more than 4,300 acres

    CA cave fire burns more than 4,300 acres

  • No money, no hope: South Korea's 'Dirt Spoons'

    No money, no hope: South Korea's 'Dirt Spoons'

  • Hong Kong democrats score historic victory

    Hong Kong democrats score historic victory

  • About Korea Times
  • CEO Message
  • Times History
  • Content Sales
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Ombudsman
  • hankookilbo
  • Dongwha Group
  • Code of Ethics
Copyright