Up for Sale:
5,000 Years of Korean Art
Publisher: National Museum of Korea
Description: Hard copy with slip cover – Illustrated with 218 color plates – 341 Pages
Condition: used,very good - an excellent tight copy in a good slip cover - slip cover shows some wear and slight smudges from use.
Signed by the President of the Republic of Korea, Choi Kyu-hah
Inscribed by the President of the Republic of Korea to Ruth Carter Stapleton (the sister of President Jimmy Carter)
**Signature is guaranteed to be authentic - this volume was purchased from the estate of Ruth Carter Stapleton in Fayetteville, North Carolina after her death. Choi is the family name or surname and appears at the end of the signature(as seen in the photo in this listing)in modern Korean culture that has been influenced by the West. In formal or traditional communication in Korea, it is presented in front of the given or first name (as presented in the title of this listing). The signature in this volume does not appear as his signature on Korean documents. On the Korean documents it is most likely the Hangul version of his signature. It is assumed since the recipient spoke English and he was inscribing in English, that he inscribed it in romanized fashion for clear understanding(TheromanizationofKoreanis a system for representing theKoreanlanguage using the Latin script).
About the late Choi Kyu-hah - Choi Kyu-hah (July 16, 1919 – October 22, 2006) was thefourth President of South Korea between 1979 and 1980. Choi served as Ambassador to Malaysia from1964 to 1967, foreign minister from 1967 to 1971; and as prime minister from1975 to 1979.
After the assassination of Park Chung-hee in 1979, thenPrime Minister Choi became acting president as the prime minister stood next inline for the presidency under Article 48 of the Yushin Constitution. Due to theunrest resulting from Parks authoritarian rule, Choi promised democraticelections, as under Park elections had been widely seen as rigged. Choi alsopromised a new constitution to replace the highly authoritarian YushinConstitution. Choi won an election in December that year to become thecountrys fourth president. Choi was removed from office by a military coup detat by Chun Doo-hwan that lasted from late 1979 - mid 1980. Choi was forced to resign. After his resignation, Choi lived quietly out of the public eye and diedon October 22, 2006.
About the late Ruth Carter Stapleton: Ruth Carter Stapleton (August 7, 1929 – September 26,1983) was a sister of Jimmy Carter and was known in her own right as aChristian evangelist. She died of pancreatic cancer in 1983.
Note: it is assumed that this volume was obtained on one of President Carters many trips to Korea during his presidency. This is a rare Korean presidential signature with a US presidential connection. A true one of a kind treasure.
S11A – E