South Korea elected its first female president, Park Geun-hye, in a close-run contest in December 2012.
Her father President Park Chung-hee, ruled the country for 18 years after seizing power in a coup.
In 1974, at the age of 22, Ms Park became South Korea's first lady when her mother was shot dead by a North Korean assassin's bullet intended for her husband.
In September 2012 Ms Park issued a public apology for human rights abuses committed under her father.