Yuk was born in Okcheon County, North Chungcheong Province, Korea in 1925, the second of three daughters of a prosperous self-made landlord.

[2] When Park Chung Hee was in the mission as the chairman of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, Yuk Young-soo's main interest was handling civil complaints.

Jeong Jae-hoon, a disciple and secretary of the First Lady's Office for six years, recalled:[3] "We have conversations with as many people as possible to collect public opinion on the streets, and dozens of complaints a day are left with instructions.

"Yuk Young-soo always made a simple impression on people regarding Hanbok and elegance, and was a sincere wife to her husband at home.

During her husband's tenure, she mainly took care of receiving guests and dealing with complaints, although she wanted to do her part as "a revolutionary's wife".

She helped to start several self-support projects, and visited the families of South Korean soldiers deployed to Vietnam, to comfort and console them.

[5] She also did not hesitate to try to influence her husband, especially in 1963, when, to resolve tensions with the American ambassador Samuel D. Berger, she invited him to the Blue House.

During Park's address, he attempted to get closer to the President but inadvertently fired his Smith & Wesson Model 36 revolver prematurely, injuring himself.

A bullet fired by Park Jong-gyu, a member of the President's security detail, in response to Mun's attack, ricocheted off a wall and killed a high school student, Jang Bong-hwa.

[13] Like a Long Magnolia Blossom Bending to the Wind Under heavy silence Of a house in mourning Only the cry of cicadas Ma'am, ma'am, ma'am Seem to long for you who is now gone Under the August sun The Indian Lilacs turn crimson As if trying to heal the wounds of the mind My wife has departed alone Only I am left Like a lone magnolia blossom bending to the wind Where can I appeal The sadness of a broken heart Park Geun-hye then became the First Lady of South Korea, after returning urgently from her studies in France at the Joseph Fourier University.