Former South Korean President Dies At 88

Former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo has died, aged 88. His death occurred on Tuesday, ABN TV reports.

The late Asian leader was best known for participating in a 1979 coup before going on to win the presidency in a landmark democratic election. However, he ended his tumultuous politics career in prison.

According to the Seoul National University Hospital, Roh passed away while being treated for an undisclosed illness. Roh, who ruled South Korea as president from 1988-1993, was known to have suffered many health problems including cerebellar atrophy for years.

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Roh was the son of a poor farmer in Talsong County, who resides near the southeastern city of Taegu. He was educated first at the Korean Military Academy in Seoul and later attended a psychological warfare course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The deceased began his military career during the 1950-1953 Korean War and was the commander of a combat unit in the Vietnam War.

When former strong man Park Chung-hee was assassinated in 1979, Roh supported his former military classmate Chun Doo-hwan in a military coup that installed the latter in the presidential Blue House. He would be later rewarded with a series of government posts.