'The Greatest Former U.S. President' Jimmy Carter Passes Away at 100 Years Old

Led Middle East Peace 'Camp David Accords'
Failed Re-election Due to Iran Hostage Crisis and Economic Recession
Received Nobel Prize for Peace Mediation Including Three Visits to North Korea

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter passed away on the 29th (local time) at his home in Plains, Georgia, his hometown. He was 100 years old.

The Carter Foundation released a statement saying that former President Carter peacefully passed away at home surrounded by his family.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

Former President Carter was the longest-lived U.S. president in history. After battling skin cancer and experiencing various health issues, he announced in February last year that he had stopped life-sustaining treatment and was receiving hospice palliative care at home.

Former President Carter, a peanut farmer and former U.S. Navy officer, entered politics in 1962 when his opponent was disqualified due to election fraud in the Georgia State Senate race. He was elected governor of Georgia in 1971 and was nominated as the Democratic candidate in the 1976 presidential election, defeating incumbent Republican President Gerald Ford to become the 39th President of the United States.

During his term, he faced difficulties both domestically and internationally, including the Iran hostage crisis, oil shocks, and stagflation (economic stagnation with high inflation), which led to his failure to win re-election. However, after leaving office, he was active in promoting world peace and was regarded as "the greatest former U.S. president."

In particular, he lost public support due to the 1979 Iran Islamic Revolution when hardline students seized the U.S. embassy and held 52 embassy staff hostage for 444 days. A rescue operation involving special forces was attempted but ended in failure with the deaths of eight Americans. Subsequently, he suffered a crushing defeat to Republican candidate Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election. He also faced difficulties as inflation soared into double digits and unemployment rose amid an economic recession.

One of his notable achievements during his presidency was the successful mediation of the Middle East peace negotiations known as the "Camp David Accords." In September 1978, he invited then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to the presidential retreat at Camp David to broker the agreement. The following March, the two countries signed a treaty ending hostilities, laying the foundation for peace in the Middle East.

However, after establishing the Carter Center in 1982 and engaging in activities for international peace, democracy, human rights, and public health, he gained even more popularity post-presidency. He earned the title of "the greatest former president."

He also had a deep connection with the Korean Peninsula. During his presidential campaign, he announced plans for the phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea due to human rights issues under the Park Chung-hee regime, which caused friction after he pursued this policy following his inauguration. In his 2018 memoir "Jimmy Carter," he mentioned a June 1979 summit in South Korea where he clashed with President Park over the withdrawal of U.S. troops and South Korea's nuclear armament, calling it "probably the most unpleasant discussion I ever had with an allied leader."

After leaving office, during the first North Korean nuclear crisis in 1994 when North Korea declared its withdrawal from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he flew directly to Pyongyang to meet with Chairman Kim Il-sung. He also visited North Korea twice more: in August 2010 to secure the release of Americans detained there, and in April 2011 with three former heads of state from the international elder statesmen group "The Elders."

Together with his wife Rosalynn, he actively participated in the volunteer organization "Habitat for Humanity," personally wielding a hammer in their home-building projects.

Additionally, he acted as a mediator and problem solver in international conflict zones such as Ethiopia, Sudan, Haiti, Serbia, and Bosnia. In recognition of these efforts, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

In August 2015, President Carter announced that melanoma, a type of skin cancer, had metastasized to his liver and brain but declared he was cured by the end of that year. However, he continued to suffer from complications and underwent brain surgery in 2019 after a fall.

He appeared at the funeral of his wife Rosalynn, who passed away last November at the age of 96.

He is survived by four children, eleven grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren.