Parents Yi Beomsuk, Yun Chiso Succeeded by Heo Jeong Children Yun Wan-gu, Yun Wan-hee | Name Yun Posun | |
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Prime Minister Ho ChongChang MyonJang Do-youngSong Yo-chan Similar People Choi Kyu‑hah, Park Chung‑hee, Syngman Rhee, Kim Young‑sam | ||
Resting place Yun Family Cemetery | ||
Yun Posun (Hangul: 윤보선; Hanja: 尹潽善; [jun.bo.sʌn] or [jun] [po.sʌn]; August 26, 1897 – July 18, 1990) was a Korean independence activist and politician, who served as President of South Korea from 1960 to 1962 before being replaced by the long-serving Park Chung-hee as a result of the May 16 coup in 1961.
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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 1949–1950. In 1955 Yun helped establish the South Korean Democratic Party.
Early life
Yun Posun was born in Dunpo-myeon, Asan, South Chungcheong Province in 1897. He was a son of Yun Chiso (윤치소, 1871–1944) and Lady Yi Beomsuk (이범숙, 1876–1969). 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.
Political career
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.
Short term presidency
Rhee's government was ousted by a student-led, pro-democracy uprising in 1960; and Yun was elected president on August 13, and appointed Chang Myon as First Minister. In response to the authoritarian excesses of Rhee's regime, South Korea had switched to a parliamentary system; so in fact Yun served merely as a figurehead.
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 March 22, 1962. In the following years, Yun received suspended sentences several times for anti-government activities. He opposed Park's authoritarian rule and ran for president twice, in 1963 and 1967, losing each time.
Yun retired from active politics in 1980 and focused his life on cultural activities until his death on July 18, 1990.