Yun Posun

Yun Posun was a South Korean politician and activist who served as the second president of South Korea from 1960 to 1962. He was the only president of the parliamentary Second Republic of Korea. He studied archaeology at the University of Edinburgh and returned to Korea in 1932. He joined the independence movement against the Japanese occupation and became a close associate of Syngman Rhee, the first president of South Korea. He served as the mayor of Seoul and the minister of commerce and industry under Rhee, but later opposed his authoritarian rule. He was elected to the National Assembly in 1954 and became the leader of the Democratic Party. He won the presidential election in 1960 after the April Revolution that ousted Rhee. He tried to implement democratic reforms and improve relations with North Korea, but his power was limited by the prime minister Chang Myon and the opposition parties. He was forced to resign in 1961 after a military coup led by Park Chung-hee, who became the next president. Yun continued to fight for democracy and human rights, forming and leading several opposition parties. He also opposed the Yusin Constitution that gave Park dictatorial powers. He supported Roh Tae-woo in the 1987 presidential election, hoping to end the military rule and restore democracy. He died in 1990 at the age of 92 and was accorded a state funeral. He is remembered as a liberal and principled leader who contributed to the democratization of South Korea.