Politics1960

April Revolution

Protests by students and citizens against the rigged election of 15 March 1960 peaked on 19 April and brought down the Syngman Rhee government.

A building damaged during the April 19 protests, Seoul, April 1960
한국정책방송원 · KOGL Type 1 · Source

Anger over Kim Ju-yeol’s death was mounting when, on 18 April, Korea University students returning from a protest were attacked by political thugs. On 19 April tens of thousands of university and high-school students and citizens in Seoul marched on Gyeongmudae, the presidential residence; police opened fire, causing many casualties, and the government declared martial law in Seoul and other major cities.

On 25 April university professors issued a statement and marched under the banner "Repay the students’ blood", reigniting the protests. On 26 April Syngman Rhee announced his resignation, and Lee Ki-poong’s family took their own lives. The caretaker government of Heo Jeong amended the constitution to a parliamentary cabinet system with two chambers, and after the 29 July election the Chang Myon cabinet took office.

The April Revolution was a democratic revolution in which students and citizens brought down a dictatorship. The preamble of the current constitution pledges to uphold "the democratic ideals of the April Nineteenth Uprising, which rose against injustice".

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States and rulers at the time: South Korea — President Syngman Rhee

People

Syngman Rhee1875 – 1965
related figure · First President of the Provisional Government, who worked through diplomacy in the US; later first President of the Republic of Korea
Kim Ju-yeol1944 – 1960
related figure · Student who disappeared after the Masan protest of 15 March 1960 and was found dead in Masan harbour; his death spread the protests nationwide into the April Revolution
Lee Ki-poong1896 – 1960
related figure · Second man of the Liberal Party regime and Speaker of the National Assembly, declared vice president in the rigged election of 15 March 1960; he and his family died after the April Revolution
Heo Jeong1896 – 1988
related figure · Politician who led the caretaker government after Syngman Rhee resigned in the April Revolution, overseeing the parliamentary-system amendment and the 29 July election

3 parts of this event

1
19602·28 Daegu Student Protest
Ahead of the 15 March presidential and vice-presidential election, high school students in Daegu protested against being ordered to school on a Sunday.
2
1960Rigged Election of 15 March
A large-scale rigged election to make Lee Ki-poong vice president set off protests in Masan.
3
1960 – 1965Resignation and Exile of Syngman Rhee
Forced out by the April Revolution, Syngman Rhee left for Hawaii and died in Honolulu in 1965.

Before and after

Earlier: 1958 Progressive Party Incident
Later: 1960 Chang Myon Cabinet

Themes that include this event

Seoul18 BC – 1988
From Hanseong Baekje to the June Democratic Struggle — the Han River land every kingdom fought for, and Joseon’s capital for five centuries