Misplaced Pages

#331668

50-604: The Fourth Republic was founded on the approval of the Yushin Constitution in the 1972 constitutional referendum , codifying the de facto dictatorial powers held by President Park Chung Hee , and succeeding the Third Republic . Park and his Democratic Republican Party ruled under the centralized and authoritarian Yushin System until the assassination of Park on 26 October 1979. The Fourth Republic entered

100-654: A self-coup known as the October Restoration , dissolving the National Assembly, suspending the 1963 constitution, declaring martial law across the country, and commissioning work on a brand new constitution. Park had drawn inspiration for his self-coup from Ferdinand Marcos , the President of the Philippines , who had orchestrated a similar coup a few weeks earlier . The Fourth Republic

150-660: A civilian in the October 1963 presidential election , defeating the incumbent President Yun Posun . The Third Republic of Korea was inaugurated two months later in December and presented as a return to civilian government under the National Assembly . In reality, it was a continuation of Park's military dictatorship, as the government was predominantly members of the Supreme Council, and the National Assembly

200-408: A legal dictatorship. The new document sparked widespread but ineffective protests. Park now argued that Western-style liberal democracy was not suitable for South Korea because of its still-developing economy. Instead, he argued that "Korean-style democracy" with a strong, unchallenged presidency was the only way to keep the country stable. On 21 November 1972, the Yushin Constitution was approved in

250-703: A military dictatorship under the National Council for Reunification and dissolving the National Assembly , and was elected president by the council in the August 1980 presidential election . The Fourth Republic was dissolved on the adoption of a new constitution in March 1981 and replaced with the Fifth Republic of Korea . Park Chung Hee had served as the leader and de facto dictator of South Korea since July 1961, coming to power two months after leading

300-517: A period of political instability under Park's successor, Choi Kyu-hah , and the escalating martial law declared after Park's death. Choi was unofficially overthrown by Chun Doo-hwan in the coup d'état of December Twelfth in December 1979, and began the armed suppression of the Gwangju Uprising against martial law. Chun launched the coup d'état of May Seventeenth in May 1980, establishing

350-465: A pollution disease affecting people around Onsan, a town on the outskirts of the major city of Ulsan . Increased oil prices set by oil-rich Middle Eastern countries put pressure on the economic development of South Korea's heavy industry, but South Korean construction companies became highly active in the Middle East and saw an influx of foreign currency from these countries. The first reactor of

400-700: The chaebols , the large family-owned conglomerates , as they possessed the capital to develop these industries. The Heavy-Chemical Industry Drive, which successfully developed heavy industry in South Korea, came at the cost of severe political and social repercussions. Wildcat strikes from the industrial working class and student protests against Park became increasingly frequent due to his undelivered promises of democratization, and are believed to have contributed to his assassination in 1979. Environmental damage and industrial accidents caused serious health issues, with one notable phenomenon known as Onsan illness ,

450-599: The 1972 South Korean constitutional referendum with an implausible 92.3% of the vote with a turnout of 91.9% and came into force, dissolving the Third Republic and establishing the Fourth Republic of Korea. Park was re-elected as president for a fourth term in 1972 and a fifth term in 1978 , both times unopposed. The Fourth Republic witnessed greater instability as Park's popularity, and tolerance of his increasingly naked autocracy, declined steadily during

500-555: The Fifth Republic of Korea was established. The Fourth Republic saw continued dramatic economic growth. The Park government shifted away from light industry , considered to be highly developed, and began to invest in heavy industries in a plan known as the Heavy-Chemical Industry Drive . The heavy industry shift was primarily driven by the Korean DMZ Conflict from 1966 to 1969, which caused

550-791: The Korea Strait by throwing him overboard en route to Korea. However, they were forced to abandon this plan as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force began pursuit and fired an illuminating shell at the boat just when the kidnappers brought Kim on the deck. Kim was subsequently released in Busan , and was found alive five days after the kidnapping at his house in Seoul. In April 1975, the People's Revolutionary Party Incident resurfaced when 1024 individuals were arrested by

SECTION 10

#1732765692332

600-742: The Kori Nuclear Power Plant near Busan began commercial operation in 1978. A variety of events in international diplomacy led the Park regime to reconsider its diplomatic position. Notable were the normalization of U.S. diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, which cast doubt on South Korea's ability to count on Cold War backing from the United States. The South Korean government began to establish diplomatic relations with many countries, such as Canada. In addition,

650-639: The May 16 coup which overthrew the Second Republic of Korea . Park and his supporters established the Supreme Council of National Reconstruction , a provisional military junta government that prioritized the economic development of South Korea, but faced strong pressure from the United States to restore the civilian government. In 1963, Park abdicated from his military position to run as

700-479: The National Conference for Unification , an electoral college whose delegates were elected by the public. The requirements for presidential candidacy, however, were so stringent that only one candidate could be on the conference's ballot. He was vested with broad powers to suspend constitutional freedoms and rule by decree . Only one concession was given to the National Assembly, the ability to remove

750-567: The Supreme Court of Korea sentenced eight of the arrested to death: Do Ye-jong, Yeo Jeong-nam, Kim Yong-won, Lee Sub-yeong, Ha Jae-wan, Seo Do-won, Song Sang-jin, and Woo Hong-seon. All eight were executed only 18 hours after the announcement of the death penalty. Do Ye-jong was one of the original eight people arrested in 1965. The People's Revolutionary Party Incident received attention outside of South Korea and spawned significant negative press for Park's regime. Internally, knowledge about

800-560: The "imperial" role which scholars have seen attached to the presidency under the Yusin Constitution, which effectively concentrated all governing power in Park's hands. The Yushin Constitution was a severely authoritarian document, marked by the sweeping executive and legislative powers granted to the president. His term was extended to six years, with no limits on re-election. The president was indirectly elected through

850-431: The 1970s. The Yushin Constitution allowed Park to legally and more openly violate civil liberties , particularly to suppress his mounting opposition, but this exacerbated resistance to his regime. Park repeatedly promised a transition to full democracy, but few believed him. Kim Dae-jung was involved in a car accident shortly after the 1971 presidential election which left him with a permanent hip joint injury. Kim believed

900-429: The Constitution in 1969 to allow a third term. He was re-elected in the 1971 presidential election . The 8th general election was held on May 5, 1971. Park's Democratic Republican Party took 113 seats out of 204. However, it didn't reach the minimum condition to pass a constitutional amendment. It required the concurrence of two thirds or more of the total members of the National Assembly. Therefore, Park couldn't amend

950-492: The KCIA and the government intelligence apparatus. On 6 December, the National Council for Unification confirmed Choi Kyu-hah as President according to the framework of the Yusin Constitution, but six days later, Chun spearheaded the coup d'état of December Twelfth , forcibly arresting and detaining General Jeong. By this point Choi had lost any meaningful authority in government, and in early 1980 Chun installed himself as Director of

1000-564: The KCIA without a warrant under the National Security Act . The arrested were accused of attempting to re-establish a North Korean-backed radical socialist organization known as the People's Revolutionary Party, for which eight people were arrested for founding in August 1965 under South Korea's anti-communism laws. Similar to the original incident, the majority of the arrested were acquitted, with 253 of them imprisoned. On April 9,

1050-466: The KCIA. In May 1980, Chun launched the coup d'état of May Seventeenth , establishing a military dictatorship under the National Council for Reunification and dissolving the National Assembly, and the following day the Gwangju Uprising began in protest in Gwangju . In response, Chun tightened martial law and violently suppressed protests with troops, with around 200-600 people estimated to have died in

SECTION 20

#1732765692332

1100-711: The Korean pronunciation of the Japanese word Ishin (restoration). The new administration established after the coup is now called the Yusin Regime (유신체제, 維新體制) or Yusin Dictatorship (유신독재, 維新獨裁). Under the Yusin regime, the Constitution of the Third Republic of Korea was replaced by the Yusin Constitution, the Constitution of the Fourth Republic. In accordance with the Yusin Constitution, an electoral college called

1150-479: The National Council for Unification (통일주체국민회의, Tongil Juche Gungmin Hoeui ) was set up. The conference elected the president and one-third of parliament. The presidential term was extended to six years, with no constitutional restrictions on the number of terms one could serve–effectively making Park president for life. It also allowed the president to declare "emergency measures," (긴급조치권, Gingeup Jochi ), which allowed

1200-554: The North-South Joint Declaration with the three principles of the reunification . After the declaration, a direct phone cable was installed between Seoul and Pyongyang . Enthusiasm for reunification was heating up. Park used it as a pretext for the amendment of the constitution. Under the Third Republic 's constitution, the president was limited to two terms in office. However, the National Assembly, dominated by Park's Democratic Republican Party , amended

1250-695: The South Korean leadership to fear it lacked the self-sufficiency to defend itself from North Korea without significant assistance from the United States. In the late 1960s, increasing American involvement in the Vietnam War led the South Korean leadership to believe the transfer of enough troops from the United States Forces Korea to Indochina would make South Korea vulnerable to North Korea, which had amassed an enormous army, and an industrial establishment almost wholly devoted to

1300-550: The State Council by a vote of no confidence. Even this was a dead letter, as the President could not only dissolve the National Assembly at will, but also had the right to appoint one-third of its members, effectively guaranteeing a parliamentary majority . For all intents and purposes, the Yusin Constitution codified the emergency powers Park had exercised since the previous December, effectively turning his presidency into

1350-435: The United States' policy towards communism under President Richard Nixon 's Nixon Doctrine . The legitimacy of Park's government depended on staunch anti-communism, and any moderation of that policy from South Korea's allies threatened the very basis of his rule. In December 1971, Park declared a state of emergency "based on the dangerous realities of the international situation". On 17 October 1972, Park Chung Hee launched

1400-482: The Yusin Regime. Although the military took power by consecutive coups (the 12.12 Coup d'état and the 5.18 Incident ) after Park's death, there was a general consensus that the Yusin Constitution was no longer viable. Ultimately, Park was succeeded by Chun Doo-hwan , who promulgated the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, which officially replaced the Yusin Constitution in 1980. This new constitution

1450-702: The accident was a failed assassination attempt from Park, fleeing to Japan for his safety and forming the dissident South Korean democracy movement there. Kim entered a self-imposed exile in Japan after the enactment of the Yushin Constitution in 1972. On 8 August 1973, Kim was kidnapped at a meeting of the Democratic Unification Party at the Hotel Grand Palace in Tokyo . According to Kim, his kidnappers probably intended to drown him in

1500-515: The authoritarian governments in Korea, and had been in dispute with Park since he led the Supreme Council of National Reconstruction. The Korean Central Intelligence Agency began to force The Dong-a Ilbo' s main advertisers to withdraw, and the company relied on small advertisers until it was eventually pressured by the government into ending its protest campaign seven months later. The incident resulted in employees being dismissed, many of whom co-founded

1550-667: The constitution and declared martial law . Universities were also closed. The press, radio and television were subjected to censorship, and speech was significantly restricted. Work was then begun on a new constitution, which was completed in October 27 by the emergency State Council . The event was named after Japan's 1868 Meiji Restoration . Park Chung Hee, a former officer in the Japanese-controlled Manchukuo Imperial Army , admired Japanese politics, and called his self–coup Yusin (or Yushin),

Fourth Republic of Korea - Misplaced Pages Continue

1600-411: The constitution through the lawful procedure. In 1969, with a one-time amendment of the constitution, the incumbent president–Park–was allowed to run for a third consecutive term. In December 1971, shortly after winning a third term, Park declared a state of emergency "based on the dangerous realities of the international situation." On October 17, 1972, Park dissolved the National Assembly, suspended

1650-517: The document concentrated all governing power in Park's hands. According to official figures, the new document was approved by 92.3% of voters, with a turnout of 91.9%. The adoption of the constitution upon the announcement of the official referendum results ushered in the Fourth Republic of South Korea . October Restoration The October Yusin ( Korean :  10월 유신 ; RR :  Siwol Yusin ) or October Restoration

1700-414: The first round of Red Cross talks were held between South Korea and North Korea. Park also announced plans for eventual reunification. In December 1974, The Dong-A Ilbo , one of the largest newspapers in South Korea, and its subsidiaries began to release media with empty advertisement slots in protest against Park's strict censorship laws. The Dong-a Ilbo had a long history of defying and protesting

1750-435: The incident was limited to first-hand experience and information from foreign newspapers shared secretly through universities and churches due to the country's strict censorship laws. Most people viewed the People's Revolutionary Party as a farce for Park to suppress democracy activists rather than communists, and news of the incident spread and emboldened the democratization movement at home and abroad. On 26 October 1979, Park

1800-466: The opposition. Park suppressed these protests by force. In the People's Revolutionary Party Incident , eight persons were executed for treason. Their confessions, which were extracted by torture, were the only evidence and the executed are now generally considered to have been innocent. Despite this repression, the resistance to the Yusin Regime continued and caused serious social unrest. The Yusin Regime

1850-475: The popular newspaper The Hankyoreh . In 1975, Park ordered the homeless to be removed from the streets of Seoul, and thousands of people were arrested by the police and sent to thirty-six camps. The detainees were then used as slave labor by the authorities and subjected to degrading treatment with many dying under torture. 1972 South Korean constitutional referendum [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] A constitutional referendum

1900-403: The president to promulgate laws without ratification by the National Assembly and suspend civil liberties. In practice, the conference's power to appoint one-third of legislators was exercised by the president, guaranteeing him a parliamentary majority and control over parliament. Combined with his broad powers to rule by decree and curtail constitutional freedoms, the Yusin Constitution endowed

1950-465: The president with nearly all governing power in the nation. Park justified his creation of a legal dictatorship by arguing that South Korea's economy was too weak to allow Western-style liberal democracy. Rather, he argued that the country needed a "Korean-style democracy" with a strong, unchallenged presidency in order to remain stable. The Yusin Regime was soon challenged by activists from groups such as college students, artists, religious leaders, and

2000-644: The public and rival politicians. The 1971 presidential election showed that the New Democratic Party achieved significant electoral gains against the Democratic Republican Party, rising from 32.7% of the vote in 1968 to 44.4%. Public dissatisfaction with Park's authoritarian rule increased as the rapid economic growth of the 1960s began to slow down. Additionally, Park became anxious about changes in Cold War politics, especially

2050-549: The supply it, on the other side of the DMZ . Therefore, South Korea viewed the development of heavy industries as necessary for survival against potential North Korean aggression and set out to build an industrial infrastructure that could support a modernized military. Park decided to channel the economic development capabilities of the state into the development of several key industries: steel , petrochemicals , automobiles, machine tools , shipbuilding , and electronics . Park enlisted

Fourth Republic of Korea - Misplaced Pages Continue

2100-573: The unrest. Although the Gwangju Uprising was successfully suppressed, it consolidated the momentum of nationwide support for democracy in South Korea. In August, Choi resigned and Chun was elected President in the 1980 presidential election by the National Council, running unopposed and winning 99.37% of the vote. In October, Chun abolished all political parties and established his own, the Democratic Justice Party , which

2150-460: Was an October 1972 South Korean self-coup in which President Park Chung Hee assumed dictatorial powers. Park had come to power as the head of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction after the May 16 coup of 1961, and in 1963 he won elections and assumed office as civilian president. On May 4, 1972, the director of Korea Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) , Lee Hu-rak , went to North Korea and met Kim Il Sung . They announced

2200-563: Was assassinated in a safehouse inside the Blue House presidential complex by Kim Jae-gyu , the director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) and the president's security chief. Park, four of his bodyguards, and his chauffeur were killed by Kim and other KCIA agents for unknown reasons. The death of Park after 18-years of dictatorial rule caused immediate political turmoil in South Korea. Park

2250-414: Was criticized internationally for human rights abuse. The American Carter Administration warned that United States military forces might be withdrawn from South Korea unless Park eased off his dictatorship. On October 26, 1979, the "10.26 Incident" occurred—the assassination of Park Chung–hee by members of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency . Park's assassination removed the main impetus of

2300-500: Was dominated by his Democratic Republican Party . Park won re-election in the 1967 presidential election , and the National Assembly passed a constitutional amendment that allowed him to serve a third term, which he narrowly won in the 1971 presidential election against Kim Dae-jung of the New Democratic Party . Park's popularity began to decline in the early 1970s, and he faced growing domestic opposition from both

2350-471: Was effectively a re-branding of Park's Democratic Republican Party that ruled South Korea since 1963. Chun enacted a new constitution less authoritarian than Park's Yusin Constitution, but that still gave fairly broad powers to the president. The Fourth Republic was dissolved on 3 March 1981 when Chun was formally inaugurated as President after being re-elected in the February 1981 presidential election , and

2400-614: Was governed under the Yushin Constitution . Yushin ( 유신 ; 維新 ) has the same Chinese root of "restoration" as a component of the Japanese Meiji Restoration ( 明治維新 , Meiji-ishin ) , the event which brought Japan under the effective rule of the Emperor of Japan and began the country's rise into a world power in the late 19th century. The significance of the term Yushin was the allusion to

2450-506: Was held in South Korea on 21 November 1972. President Park Chung-hee had suspended the constitution and dissolved the National Assembly in October. Work began almost immediately on a new constitution. The finished product, the Yushin Constitution , was a severely authoritarian document that dramatically expanded the president's powers and allowed him to run for an unlimited number of six-year terms. For all intents and purposes,

2500-528: Was succeeded by Choi Kyu-hah , the Prime Minister since 1975, assuming power as acting president but was almost immediately marginalized by competing factions in the military. After the declaration of martial law following Park's death, General Jeong Seung-hwa acted as the government's chief administrator and appointed Major General Chun Doo-hwan the same day to lead a Joint Investigation Headquarters. On 27 October, Chun unilaterally assumed control of

#331668