General Park Chung Hee

General Park Chung Hee was a South Korean military leader who came to power through a coup in 1961 and ruled the country for nearly two decades. Under his leadership, South Korea transformed from a war-torn nation into one of the world's most dynamic economies, often referred to as one of the 'East Asian Tigers.' Park implemented state-led industrialization policies, fostered the growth of large family-owned conglomerates known as chaebols, and justified his authoritarian regime through anti-communist sentiment. His legacy is a complex mix of economic achievement and political repression.