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. 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 on 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 in 1990.
Read more about this topic: Yun Bo-seon
Famous quotes containing the words short, term and/or presidency:
“I had some short struggle in my mind whether I should resign my lover or my liberty, but this lasted not long. I found myself as free as air and could not bear the thought of putting myself in any man’s power for life only from a present capricious inclination.”
—Sarah Fielding (1710–1768)
“A radical is one of whom people say “He goes too far.” A conservative, on the other hand, is one who “doesn’t go far enough.” Then there is the reactionary, “one who doesn’t go at all.” All these terms are more or less objectionable, wherefore we have coined the term “progressive.” I should say that a progressive is one who insists upon recognizing new facts as they present themselves—one who adjusts legislation to these new facts.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
“Some of the offers that have come to me would never have come if I had not been President. That means these people are trying to hire not Calvin Coolidge, but a former President of the United States. I can’t make that kind of use of the office.... I can’t do anything that might take away from the Presidency any of its dignity, or any of the faith people have in it.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)