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Presidential election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Vice Presidential election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Presidential and vice presidential elections were held in South Korea on 5 August 1952. [1] The result was a victory for Syngman Rhee, who won 74.6% of the vote. Voter turnout was 88.1%. [2] The election was held during the Korean War, which played an important role in consolidating Rhee's support.
President Rhee's factions took a devastating blow in the 1950 legislative election, when they won a little more than a quarter of the seats in the National Assembly, combined. In belief he would have little shot at reelection in the opposition-controlled legislature, President Rhee decided to amend the constitution so that the president would be elected by the people, instead of the legislature. President Rhee had the amendment pass in July 1952, after using police and military to threaten lawmakers. [3]
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syngman Rhee | Liberal Party | 5,238,769 | 74.62 | |
| Cho Bong-am | Independent | 797,504 | 11.36 | |
| Yi Si-yeong | Democratic Nationalist Party | 764,715 | 10.89 | |
| Shin Heung-u | Independent | 219,696 | 3.13 | |
| Total | 7,020,684 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 7,020,684 | 96.49 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 255,199 | 3.51 | ||
| Total votes | 7,275,883 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 8,259,428 | 88.09 | ||
| Source: Nohlen et al. | ||||
| Region | Syngman Rhee | Cho Bong-am | Yi Si-yeong | Shin Heung-u | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Seoul | 205,300 | 82.2 | 25,631 | 10.3 | 14,883 | 6.0 | 3,923 | 1.6 |
| Gyeonggi | 657,174 | 87.7 | 44,967 | 6.0 | 34,704 | 4.6 | 12,891 | 1.7 |
| Gangwon | 366,583 | 92.4 | 10,516 | 2.7 | 13,378 | 3.4 | 6,305 | 1.6 |
| North Chungcheong | 386,665 | 86.7 | 25,875 | 5.8 | 23,006 | 5.2 | 10,409 | 2.3 |
| South Chungcheong | 636,061 | 82.4 | 56,590 | 7.3 | 58,754 | 7.6 | 20,947 | 2.7 |
| North Jeolla | 468,220 | 65.9 | 109,490 | 15.4 | 96,271 | 13.6 | 36,221 | 5.1 |
| South Jeolla | 823,587 | 73.6 | 99,885 | 8.9 | 165,245 | 14.8 | 30,677 | 2.7 |
| North Gyeongsang | 921,988 | 75.0 | 129,791 | 10.6 | 140,271 | 11.4 | 37,100 | 3.0 |
| South Gyeongsang | 693,523 | 55.4 | 288,654 | 23.0 | 211,544 | 16.9 | 58,586 | 4.7 |
| Jeju | 79,668 | 83.8 | 6,105 | 6.4 | 6,659 | 7.0 | 2,637 | 2.8 |
| Total | 5,238,769 | 74.6 | 797,504 | 11.4 | 764,715 | 10.9 | 219,696 | 3.1 |
| Source: National Election Commission [4] | ||||||||
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ham Tae-young | Independent | 2,943,813 | 41.27 | |
| Lee Beom-seok | Liberal Party | 1,815,692 | 25.45 | |
| Chough Pyung-ok | Democratic Nationalist Party | 575,260 | 8.06 | |
| Lee Gap-sung | Liberal Party Movement | 500,972 | 7.02 | |
| Yi Yun-yong | Choseon Democratic Party | 458,583 | 6.43 | |
| Jeon Jin-han | General Alliance of Laborers for Korean Independence | 302,471 | 4.24 | |
| Louise Yim | Liberal Party Movement | 190,211 | 2.67 | |
| Pak Sung-wook | Independent | 181,388 | 2.54 | |
| Jeong Ki-won | Liberal Party Movement | 164,907 | 2.31 | |
| Total | 7,133,297 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 7,133,297 | 98.11 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 137,585 | 1.89 | ||
| Total votes | 7,270,882 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 8,259,428 | 88.03 | ||
| Region | Ham Tae-young | Lee Beom-seok | Chough Pyung-ok | Lee Gap-sung | Yi Yun-yong | Jeon Jin-han | Louise Yim | Pak Sung-wook | Jeong Ki-won | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Seoul | 70,206 | 27.6 | 117,326 | 46.2 | 16,429 | 6.5 | 13,815 | 5.4 | 15,475 | 6.1 | 8,911 | 3.5 | 4,676 | 1.8 | 4,508 | 1.8 | 2,727 | 1.1 |
| Gyeonggi | 347,799 | 45.6 | 252,090 | 33.1 | 27,776 | 3.6 | 35,154 | 4.6 | 42,038 | 5.5 | 21,076 | 2.8 | 13,195 | 1.7 | 10,547 | 1.4 | 12,593 | 1.7 |
| Gangwon | 223,534 | 55.6 | 129,704 | 32.3 | 5,962 | 1.5 | 9,427 | 2.3 | 11,555 | 2.9 | 10,675 | 2.7 | 4,424 | 1.1 | 2,811 | 0.7 | 3,674 | 0.9 |
| North Chungcheong | 216,223 | 47.8 | 130,843 | 28.9 | 18,926 | 4.2 | 23,190 | 5.1 | 24,442 | 5.4 | 13,098 | 2.9 | 9,094 | 2.0 | 7,983 | 1.8 | 8,830 | 2.0 |
| South Chungcheong | 118,291 | 15.1 | 452,209 | 57.6 | 47,482 | 6.1 | 34,172 | 4.4 | 43,895 | 5.6 | 35,057 | 4.5 | 21,047 | 2.7 | 18,354 | 2.3 | 14,287 | 1.8 |
| North Jeolla | 190,246 | 26.3 | 235,637 | 32.5 | 67,731 | 9.4 | 48,554 | 6.7 | 63,729 | 8.8 | 34,750 | 4.8 | 37,024 | 5.1 | 24,985 | 3.5 | 21,500 | 3.0 |
| South Jeolla | 729,541 | 64.2 | 59,318 | 5.2 | 125,525 | 11.0 | 77,231 | 6.8 | 60,658 | 5.3 | 23,221 | 2.0 | 20,470 | 1.8 | 18,031 | 1.6 | 22,739 | 2.0 |
| North Gyeongsang | 716,794 | 57.4 | 97,256 | 7.8 | 100,498 | 8.1 | 115,755 | 9.3 | 73,684 | 5.9 | 50,884 | 4.1 | 28,263 | 2.3 | 32,719 | 2.6 | 31,980 | 2.6 |
| South Gyeongsang | 296,766 | 23.3 | 306,982 | 24.1 | 161,787 | 12.7 | 139,000 | 10.9 | 116,260 | 9.1 | 100,061 | 7.9 | 49,675 | 3.9 | 59,079 | 4.6 | 43,807 | 3.4 |
| Jeju | 34,413 | 36.0 | 34,327 | 35.9 | 3,144 | 3.3 | 4,674 | 4.9 | 6,847 | 7.2 | 4,738 | 5.0 | 2,343 | 2.5 | 2,371 | 2.5 | 2,770 | 2.9 |
| Total | 2,943,813 | 41.3 | 1,815,692 | 25.5 | 575,260 | 8.1 | 500,972 | 7.0 | 458,583 | 6.4 | 302,471 | 4.2 | 190,211 | 2.7 | 181,388 | 2.5 | 164,907 | 2.3 |
The history of South Korea begins with the Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945. At that time, South Korea and North Korea were divided, despite being the same people and on the same peninsula. In 1950, the Korean War broke out. North Korea overran South Korea until US-lead UN forces intervened. At the end of the war in 1953, the border between South and North remained largely similar. Tensions between the two sides continued. South Korea alternated between dictatorship and liberal democracy. It underwent substantial economic development.
Syngman Rhee was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960. Rhee is also known by his art name Unam. Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea from 1919 to his impeachment in 1925 and from 1947 to 1948. As president of South Korea, Rhee's government was characterised by authoritarianism, limited economic development, and in the late 1950s growing political instability and public opposition.
The first Republic of Korea was the government of South Korea from August 1948 to April 1960. The first republic was founded on 15 August 1948 after the transfer from the United States Army Military Government that governed South Korea since the end of Japanese rule in 1945, becoming the first independent republican government in Korea. Syngman Rhee became the first president of South Korea following the May 1948 general election, and the National Assembly in Seoul promulgated South Korea's first constitution in July, establishing a presidential system of government.
Constitutional Assembly elections were held in South Korea on 10 May 1948. They were held under the U.S. military occupation, with supervision from the United Nations, and resulted in a victory for the National Association for the Rapid Realisation of Korean Independence, which won 55 of the 200 seats, although 85 were held by independents. Voter turnout was 95%.
The April Revolution, also called the April 19 Revolution or April 19 Movement, were mass protests in South Korea against President Syngman Rhee and the First Republic from April 11 to 26, 1960, which led to Rhee's resignation.
The Supreme Council for National Reconstruction (Korean: 국가재건최고회의) was the ruling military junta of South Korea from May 1961 to December 1963.
The second Republic of Korea was the government of South Korea from April 1960 to May 1961.
The Constitution of the Republic of Korea is the supreme law of South Korea. It was promulgated on July 17, 1948, and last revised on October 29, 1987.
Presidential and vice-presidential elections were held in South Korea on 15 March 1960. Shortly after winning reelection to a second term in the 1952 presidential election, Rhee had the legislature pass a constitutional amendment exempting himself from the two-term limit, allowing himself to run for and win a third term in 1956 and in March 1960.
Yi Yun-young was an independence activist, educator, and Methodist minister during the Japanese occupation of Korea. His family clan originated in Danyang, and he was from Yongbyon in Pyonganbuk-do. His art name was Baeksa. During the March 1st Independence Movement, he was arrested for holding a lecture declaring independence and protesting against the Japanese occupation. In 1940, his pastoral qualifications were suspended because he opposed the unification of the churches in Korea and Japan and refused to adapt Sōshi-kaimei. After the Liberation, he participated with Cho Man-sik in the Committee for the Preparation of Korean Independence, founded the Korean Democratic Party, and was active as the party's vice leader. After his escape to the South, he was recommended as acting Prime Minister. After the establishment of Korea's government, he was named to be the first prime minister, but he was defeated because of the rejection of his confirmation by the Korea Democratic Party. After that, he was named to be the prime minister three more times, but each time he was rejected. Being one of Syngman Rhee's closest allies, he served as Minister without Portfolio and Minister of Social Affairs during the First Republic. He ran for vice president representing the anti-Lee Ki-poong faction but was defeated. After the May 16th Coup, he was Chairman of the Committee for Struggle against the prolongation of Military Government and executive member of the People's Party. He was an aide of Cho Man-sik, then after he defected to the South, he worked as an aide to Syngman Rhee.
Presidential and vice-presidential elections were held in South Korea on 15 May 1956. The result was a victory for Syngman Rhee, who won 70.0% of the vote. Voter turnout was 94.4%.
Presidential elections were held in South Korea on 3 May 1967. The result was a victory for Park Chung Hee, who won 51.4% of the vote. Voter turnout was 83.6%.
Presidential elections were held in South Korea on 27 April 1971. The result was a victory for incumbent president Park Chung-hee, who won 53.2% of the vote. Voter turnout was 79.8%. Within a year of his re-election, Park declared martial law and introduced the Yushin Constitution, which vested him with sweeping and near-dictatorial powers.
Legislative elections were held in South Korea on 20 May 1954. The result was a victory for Syngman Rhee's Liberal Party, which won 114 of the 203 seats. Voter turnout was 91.1%.
Parliamentary elections were held in South Korea on 29 June 1960. They were the first and only direct elections of the Second Republic and saw the first election of members of the new House of Councillors, together with the fifth election of members of the House of Representatives. They were also the first relatively free and fair national elections held in the country, but would be the last free elections until the 1987 presidential elections. Voter turnout was 84.3%.
Indirect presidential elections were held in South Korea on 12 August 1960, which saw the election of Yun Posun as President of the Republic of Korea, a ceremonial political position in the Second Republic. Held after the April Revolution which had forced the resignation of Syngman Rhee, it was the only presidential election to be held during the short era of the Second Republic, as the Republic folded after Park Chung-hee's May Coup the next year. The election was indirect, with a joint session of the House of Commons and Senate, which had been elected in July, acting as the electors. The winning candidate required the assent of two thirds of the members of both houses.
Presidential and vice- presidential elections were held in South Korea on 20 July 1948, following the Constitutional Assembly elections in May. The president was to be elected by the members of the National Assembly, as instructed by the 1948 Constitution. Of the 198 members of the National Assembly, 196 were present for the vote. A candidate required two-thirds of the votes cast to win. Syngman Rhee was elected with 180 votes, and took over the government to oversee the transfer of power from the United States Army Military Government in Korea.
Lee Ki-poong was a South Korean politician and Vice President elect. He was the Minister of National Defense and Mayor of Seoul. He was the leader of Liberal Party and supporter of Syngman Rhee. By the 1954 election, Lee became the most prominent member of the Liberal Party. The Liberal Party held power from 1948 to 1960.
The National Association was a political party in South Korea.
The Democratic Party was a political party in South Korea. The party was the first truly organized liberal opposition against Syngman Rhee's conservative Liberal Party, and is considered as the predecessor to the lineage of the South Korean liberal parties.
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| Legislative elections | |
| By-elections | |
| Local elections | |
| Referendums | |
