Former Egyptian President Mubarak, the 'Pharaoh' of 30 Years of Dictatorship, Dies of Illness

Death at 91 in a Cairo Hospital Due to Chronic Illness

The military, which played a major role in ousting President Hosni Mubarak from power, also plays a decisive role in the Egyptian economy (Photo by Bloomberg News).

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] Hosni Mubarak, the former president who ruled Egypt as a dictator for 30 years but was ousted in the 2011 "Arab Spring" popular uprising, has passed away.

According to local media including Egypt's state TV on the 25th (local time), former President Mubarak died at the age of 91 due to an illness at a hospital in Cairo. It is known that he had undergone surgery there and was receiving intensive care.

Former President Mubarak, a former fighter pilot, became the Air Force Chief of Staff in 1969 and rebuilt the Air Force after its defeat in the war with Israel. In the early stages of the 1973 Fourth Middle East War, he pushed back the Israeli forces and became a war hero. Riding on this reputation, he served as vice president in 1975 and vice chairman of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) in 1979.

Afterwards, he was elected president through a national referendum in October 1981 and continued his dictatorship. At that time, when the predecessor President Anwar Sadat was assassinated, Mubarak controlled the unstable political situation with martial law and suppressed opposition. After 30 years of dictatorship, he was ousted by pro-democracy protests in 2011 and sentenced to life imprisonment in a 2012 trial. However, he was acquitted and released in March 2017.

Former President Mubarak was also known for his friendly stance toward North Korea. North Korea supported Egypt with fighter jets and pilots during the 1973 Fourth Middle East War, forging a special relationship. Subsequently, Mubarak maintained close ties with North Korean leader Kim Il-sung and visited North Korea four times between the 1980s and 1990s.