Yun Po-sun (Korean: 윤보선; Korean pronunciation: [junbosʌn]or[jun] [posʌn]; August 26, 1897 – July 18, 1990) was a South Korean politician and activist who served as the second president of South Korea from 1960 to 1962. He was the only president of the short-lived Second Republic of Korea, and served as little more than a figurehead due to its nature as a parliamentary system.
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Yun Po-sun
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윤보선
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Official portrait, 1960
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| 2nd President of South Korea | |
| In office August 13, 1960 – March 24, 1962 | |
| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by | Syngman Rhee |
| Succeeded by | Park Chung Hee |
| 2nd Mayor of Seoul | |
| In office December 15, 1948 – June 5, 1949 | |
| Preceded by | Kim Hyong-min |
| Succeeded by | Lee Ki-poong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1897-08-26)August 26, 1897 Sinhang-ri, Dunpo-myeon, Asan County, South Chungcheong, Joseon (present day South Korea) |
| Died | July 18, 1990(1990-07-18) (aged 92) Anguk-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea |
| Resting place | Yun Family Cemetery, Asan |
| Political party | Democratic (1955) New Democratic (1967) |
| Spouse(s) |
Min Kyung-suk
(m. 1915; died 1937) (m. 1948) |
| Relations | Yun Chi-sung (uncle) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh (BA, MA) |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Signature |  |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 윤보선 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Yun Boseon |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yun Posŏn |
| Art name | |
| Hangul | 해위 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Haewi |
| McCune–Reischauer | Haewi |
| Courtesy name | |
| Hangul | 경천 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gyeongcheon |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kyŏngch'ŏn |
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Having entered politics after World War II, Yun served as Secretary to Korea's Chief of Staff in 1947, and was Mayor of Seoul in 1948. He served as Commerce Minister for the newly liberated Korea from 1949 to 1950. In 1955, Yun helped establish the South Korean Democratic Party. He was forced to resign the presidency by Park Chung Hee as a result of the May 16 coup in 1961.
Yun Po-sun was born in Dunpo-myeon, Asan, South Chungcheong Province in 1897. He was a son of Yun Chi-so (윤치소, 尹致昭, 1871–1944) and Lady Yi Beom-suk (이범숙, 李範淑, 1876–1969). Yun Chiso is the second son of Yun Yeong-ryeol (윤영렬;尹英烈). Yun Yeong-ryeol is an 8th generation descendant of the prominent Joseon scholar-official Yun Doo-su (윤두수;尹斗壽). Yun studied in the United Kingdom, graduating with a Master of Arts from the University of Edinburgh in 1930. He returned to Korea in 1932.
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Yun entered politics in 1945 following Gwangbokjeol (Liberation Day). The first Doctor of Philosophy from Princeton University in Korea, as well as first President of South Korea, Dr. Syngman Rhee, was his mentor. By 1947, Yun was serving as Secretary to the Korean Chief of Staff. In 1948, Rhee appointed Yun to the position of mayor of Seoul. A year later, he was made Minister of Commerce and Industry. However, Yun soon began to disagree with Rhee's authoritarian policies.
While serving as president of the Red Cross Society, he was elected to the National Assembly in 1954. A year later, he co-founded the opposition South Korean Democratic Party. In 1959, he became a representative to the Supreme Council of the Democratic Party.
Rhee's government was ousted by a student-led, pro-democracy uprising in 1960; and Yun was elected president by the newly elected parliament on August 13, with Chang Myon as Prime Minister. In the aftermath of the authoritarian excesses of Rhee's regime, South Korea had switched to a parliamentary system; thus, Yun served merely as a ceremonial president.
Following Park Chung Hee's coup in 1961, Yun stayed in his post in order to provide some legitimacy to the new regime, but resigned on 22 March 1962. In the following years, Yun received suspended sentences several times for anti-government activities. He opposed Park's authoritarian rule[1] and ran for president twice, in 1963 and 1967, losing both times.
Yun retired from politics in 1980 and focused his life on cultural activities until his death in 1990.[citation needed]
Yun Posun died at Anguk-dong, Jongno District, Seoul at the age of 92. He was accorded a state funeral by President Roh Tae-woo and was interred at Seonsan, Asan, South Chungcheong Province.[2]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by
Heo Jeong |
President of South Korea 13 August 1960–22 March 1962 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Mayor of Seoul City 1948–1949 |
Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commerce MinisterofSouth Korea 1949–1950 |
Succeeded by |