천용택

Army general; 34th Minister of National Defense; 23rd Director of the National Intelligence Service

Life & career

Cheon Yong-taek (1937-2026) was a soldier and politician of the Yeongyang Cheon clan. He was born on 28 August 1937 at Dangsan-ri, Noha-myeon, Wando, South Jeolla; Wikipedia records his death in Seoul on 24 July 2026 at age 88. He graduated from Muntae High School and the Korea Military Academy and earned a master's in business from Chung-Ang University's graduate school of international management.

In the army he was commander of the 12th Division (1985-86), 2nd Corps (1989-91) and head of the Strategic Planning Directorate of the Joint Chiefs (1991-93), then in 1993-94 a standing member of the National Security Council and chair of the Emergency Planning Commission. He received the Inheon Medal of Military Merit (1973), Order of Security Merit Samil (1976), and the Order of Service Merit (1995).

In politics he entered the 15th National Assembly in 1996 as a proportional member of the National Congress for New Politics and resigned, and in 2000 was elected from Gangjin-Wando with 76.93 percent as a Millennium Democratic Party candidate. He was the 34th Minister of National Defense (March 1998 to May 1999) and 23rd Director of the National Intelligence Service (May to December 1999). Wikipedia records that he was dismissed early after remarks about President Kim Dae-jung's election funds caused controversy.

Military Career

After the military academy, Cheon Yong-taek rose through division and corps commands to head the Strategic Planning Directorate of the Joint Chiefs. The Inheon Medal in 1973 appears to be for combat service, but the specific reason was not confirmed.

Defense Minister and NIS Director

Under the Kim Dae-jung government he served successively as Minister of National Defense and Director of the National Intelligence Service. His term at the NIS was short, about seven months, and ended after the controversy over his remarks, as recorded on Wikipedia.

Other 영양 천씨 figures