Politics15 March 1960

Rigged Election of 15 March

A large-scale rigged election to make Lee Ki-poong vice president set off protests in Masan.

Lee Ki-poong of the Liberal Party, whom the rigged election aimed to make vice president, 1959
Bureau of Public Information - 공보처 홍보국 사진담당관 · Public domain · Source

In the presidential and vice-presidential election of 15 March 1960 the Liberal Party regime rigged the vote to elect Lee Ki-poong vice president — pre-stuffing 40% of the ballots, open voting in groups of three and five, and swapping ballot boxes. Students in Daegu had already protested on 28 February.

On election day protesters in Masan denounced the fraud and police opened fire. When the body of the student Kim Ju-yeol was found in Masan harbour on 11 April, protests spread nationwide into the April Revolution.

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

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
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
Kim Ju-yeol1944 – 1960
participant · 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

Before and after

Earlier: 1960 2·28 Daegu Student Protest
Later: 1960 Resignation and Exile of Syngman Rhee