President of the Korean Red Cross, KBS president, leader of the Millennium Democratic Party and elder of civil society
| Life | 1920 ~ 2017 |
| Era | 대한민국 |
| Clan | 이천 서씨 |
Suh Young-hoon (1920-2017) was a civic leader and politician born in Deokcheon, South Pyongan, of the Icheon Seo clan; pen name Dowon. He graduated from Pyongyang Higher Common School in 1939, studied at Seoul Shinmun Academy and Gukje University, and received honorary doctorates from Wonkwang, Hoseo and Moscow State universities. His registered birth date is 26 May 1923, so sources differ on his birth year.
He served as secretary-general and president of the Korean Red Cross (2000-2003) and as the eighth president of KBS (1988-1990). He also headed bodies such as the Korea Council of Youth Organizations and the Heungsadan, and was called an elder of civil society.
In politics he was leader of the Millennium Democratic Party in 2000 and entered the 16th National Assembly that year as proportional-representation candidate no. 1. He later served as special adviser to the Uri Party and the Grand Unified Democratic New Party and left politics after 2008. He died in Seoul on 4 February 2017, aged 96.
Before politics, Suh Young-hoon was a leader of youth and civic groups, heading the Korea Council of Youth Organizations and the Heungsadan, which carries on Ahn Chang-ho's spirit. That record is cited as background for his appointment to public bodies such as the Red Cross and KBS.
The ordinal of his Red Cross presidency is given as both 22nd and 14th depending on the source, so no number is stated here.
Not confirmed in sources
He had four sons and one daughter with his wife Eo Gwi-seon. See also the Icheon Seo clan page.