Former South Korean President Kim Young-sam dies at 87

Former South Korean President Kim Young-sam
(Image credit: Yonhap/Associated Press)

Former South Korean President Kim Young-sam died early Sunday at age 87, according to a Seoul University National Hospital official. He had a severe blood infection and acute heart failure, The Associated Press reports.

When he took office in 1993, Kim — a longtime opponent of South Korea's military rule — became the first civilian to serve as president of the nation in 32 years.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.