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[HOT LINKS] Meet South Korea’s first female president

March 4, 2014

CNN interviews President Park Geun-hye for their Leading Women series

President Park Geun-hye smiles during an interview with CNN International at Cheong Wa Dae. (Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae)

President Park Geun-hye smiles during an interview with CNN International at Cheong Wa Dae. (Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae)

[CNN] What kind of politician is slashed in the face with a knife, and upon waking up in hospital the first thing they ask about is the election campaign?

Answer: Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s first female president, and a woman who has experienced her fair share of violence while working — and growing up — in government.

Park was left with an 11 centimeter wound across her cheek after she was attacked by a man at a political rally in 2006.  Her apparently businesslike response after waking from surgery — “How is Daejeon?” — referring to the party’s campaign in that city, earned her the nickname “Queen of Elections.”  [Read more]