How to Pronounce Park Geun-hye

Meaning and Context

Park Geun-hye, born on February 2, 1952, is a pivotal and controversial figure in modern South Korean political history. She was elected as the 11th President of South Korea in 2012 and took office in February 2013, shattering a significant barrier by becoming the nation's first female president. Her political career, deeply rooted in the conservative Saenuri Party (later renamed the Liberty Korea Party), was also shaped by her unique background as the daughter of former military strongman President Park Chung-hee, which garnered her enduring support from older, conservative demographics. Her presidency focused on policies of economic democratization and creative economy initiatives, aiming to foster innovation and address corporate dominance. However, her tenure was abruptly ended by a historic impeachment in 2017 following the massive Choi Soon-sil scandal, a corruption and influence-peddling affair that led to her arrest and subsequent conviction. This period, often referred to as the Park Geun-hye scandal or Choi Soon-sil gate, triggered widespread candlelight protests and marked a profound moment of political reckoning in South Korea.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The name "Park Geun-hye" follows the South Korean convention of placing the family name first, which is often a source of spelling confusion. The most common romanization follows the Revised Romanization of Korean system, resulting in "Park Geun-hye." However, alternative spellings from older systems persist, notably "Pak Kŭn-hye" using the McCune-Reischauer method. Frequent typos and errors include misspelling her given name as "Geun-hae," "Geun-hy," or "Geun-hay." Another common mistake is the incorrect spacing or hyphenation, such as "Park Geun Hye" or "ParkGeun-hye." The name of the central figure in her scandal, Choi Soon-sil, is also frequently misspelled as "Choi Sun-sil" or "Choi Soon-shil." When searching, users should be mindful of these variations to find comprehensive information.

Example Sentences

Following a parliamentary vote and a Constitutional Court ruling, Park Geun-hye was removed from office in March 2017, ending her presidency in disgrace.

Historians often analyze Park Geun-hye's political rise within the context of her father's complex legacy and the conservative stronghold in South Korea's southeastern regions.

The massive candlelight demonstrations demanding Park Geun-hye's impeachment represented a powerful display of civic engagement in South Korean democracy.

In 2021, Park Geun-hye was pardoned by President Moon Jae-in after serving nearly five years of a 22-year prison sentence for corruption and abuse of power.

The Choi Soon-sil scandal revealed a shocking level of shadow governance, with the unearthed daughter of a cult leader exerting undue influence over Park Geun-hye's presidential decisions.

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