Former US President Jimmy Carter dies at 100

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (term from January 1977 to January 1981) passed away at his home in Plains, Georgia on Sunday (local time). He was 100 years old.

During his time in office, Carter led détente with China and brokered peace negotiations between Israel and Egypt. He failed to be re-elected in 1979 due to the hostage crisis in which Iranian ‘Islamic revolutionary forces’ detained 52 Americans at the U.S. embassy in Iran for 444 days, high inflation, and low growth caused by the oil shock.

He also had special connections with Korea. During his visit to Korea in 1979, he demanded the release of opposition figures who opposed the Yushin regime, including former President Kim Dae-jung, to former President Park Chung-hee, mentioning to withdraw U.S. troops stationed in Korea. When former President Kim was sentenced to death under the new military regime in the early 1980s, he launched a life-saving campaign.

In June 1994, when questions on war in Korea were raised due to the North Korean nuclear crisis, he visited Pyongyang and discussed freezing North Korea's nuclear program with North Korean leader Kim Il Sung. The United States and North Korea resolved the first North Korean nuclear crisis through an agreement in Geneva, Switzerland, in October of the same year.

After leaving office, Carter continued to engage in human rights and volunteer work, including participating in Habitat for Humanity for over 30 years. He lived the longest among U.S. presidents in history. He has been under hospice care at home since February of last year due to melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

U.S. President Joe Biden described former President Carter as a “great American” and ordered a state funeral. Flags will be raised half-staff at public offices in the United States for 30 days, and January 9 of next year will be designated as a ‘National Day of Mourning.’


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com