Editing History of South Korea (section)

==First Republic (1948–1960)==<!-- This section is linked from [[South Korea]] -->
{{Main|First Republic of South Korea}}
[[File:Rhee Syng-Man in 1948.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Syngman Rhee]], the 1st President of South Korea]]
On 15 August 1948, the Republic of Korea was formally established, with [[Syngman Rhee]] as the first president. With the establishment of Rhee's government, [[Sovereignty#Definition and types|de jure sovereignty]] also passed into the new government. On 9 September 1948, a communist government, the [[North Korea|Democratic People's Republic of Korea]] (North Korea), was proclaimed under [[Kim Il Sung]].<ref name="aks 154-163"/><ref name="lhh 584-586"/><ref name="sk us 45-48"/> However, on 12 December 1948, by its resolution 195 in the Third General Assembly, the [[United Nations]] recognized the [[South Korea|Republic of Korea]] as the sole legal government of Korea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/043/66/IMG/NR004366.pdf?OpenElement |title=Resolution 195, UN Third General Assembly |access-date=24 October 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023061108/http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/043/66/IMG/NR004366.pdf?OpenElement |archive-date=23 October 2013 }}</ref>

In 1946, the North implemented land reforms by confiscating private property, Japanese and pro-Japanese owned facilities and factories, and placed them under state ownership.<ref name="aks 154-163"/> Demand for land reform in the South grew strong, and it was eventually enacted in June 1949. Koreans with large landholdings were obliged to divest most of their land. Approximately 40 percent of total farm households became small landowners.<ref name="sk rhee">[http://countrystudies.us/south-korea/11.htm The Syngman Rhee era], Country studies: South Korea</ref> However, because preemptive rights were given to people who had ties with landowners before liberation, many pro-Japanese groups obtained or retained properties.<ref name="aks 154-163"/>

With the country now divided, the relationship between the two Koreas turned more antagonistic as time passed. The Soviet forces having withdrawn in 1948, North Korea pressured the South to expel the United States forces, but Rhee sought to align his government strongly with America, and against both North Korea and Japan.<ref>Yang (1999, pp.&nbsp;194–195).</ref> Although talks towards normalization of relations with Japan took place, they achieved little.<ref>Yang (1999, p.&nbsp;194).</ref> Meanwhile, the government took in vast sums of American aid, in amounts sometimes near the total size of the national budget.<ref>Cumings (1997, p.&nbsp;255, p.&nbsp;306).</ref> The nationalist government also continued many of the practices of the U.S. military government. In 1948, the Rhee government repressed military uprisings in [[Jeju uprising|Jeju]], [[Yeosu–Suncheon rebellion|Suncheon and Yeosu]]. During the rebellion and its suppression 14,000 to 60,000 people were killed in all fighting.<ref name=nw000619>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/2000/06/18/ghosts-of-cheju.html|title=Ghosts of Cheju|newspaper = [[Newsweek]]|date = 19 June 2000|access-date = 24 July 2010}}</ref><ref name="lhh 584-586"/><ref>Cumings (1997, p.&nbsp;221).</ref> Of note, President Rhee's regime was intolerant of opposition. A famous event that highlighted this was the arrest and conviction of future President Park Chung Hee, for communist conspiracy in 1948.

The main policy of the First Republic of South Korea was anti-communism and "unification by expanding northward". The South's military was neither sufficiently equipped nor prepared, but the Rhee administration was determined to reunify Korea by military force with aid from the United States. However, in the second parliamentary elections held on 30 May 1950, the majority of seats went to independents who did not endorse this position, confirming the lack of support and the fragile state of the nation.<ref name="lhh 584-586"/><ref name="aks 166-171">The Academy of Korean Studies (2005, pp166-171)</ref><ref>Yang (1999, p.&nbsp;193)</ref>

When the communist army attacked from the North in June, retreating [[Republic of Korea Army|South Korean forces]] executed tens of thousands suspected communists or sympathisers, either in prison or in a reeducation movement, in what is known as the [[Bodo League massacre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/south-korea-owns-up-to-brutal-past/2008/11/14/1226318928410.html|title=South Korea owns up to brutal past|work=The Sydney Morning Herald| date=15 November 2008 }}</ref>

On 25 June 1950, [[Korean War|North Korean forces invaded South Korea]]. Led by the U.S., a 16-member coalition undertook the first collective action under the [[United Nations Command]] (UNC) in defense of South Korea.<ref name="aks 172-177">The Academy of Korean Studies (2005, pp172-177)</ref><ref>{{in lang|ko}} [http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=728778 Procession of the 6.25 War and the UN] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304105300/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=728778 |date=4 March 2021 }} at [[Doosan Encyclopedia]]</ref><ref name="lhh 586-590">Lee Hyun-hee (2005, pp 586–590)</ref> Oscillating battle lines inflicted a high number of civilian casualties and wrought immense destruction. With the [[China|People's Republic of China]]'s entry on behalf of North Korea in late 1950, the fighting came to a stalemate close to the original line of demarcation. Armistice negotiations, initiated in July 1951, finally concluded on 27 July 1953<ref>[[s:Korean Armistice Agreement|Korean Armistice Agreement]]</ref> at [[Panmunjom]], now in the [[Korean Demilitarized Zone|Demilitarized Zone]] (DMZ). Following the armistice, the South Korean government returned to Seoul on the symbolic date of 15 August 1953.<ref name="aks 172-177"/><ref name="sk kw">[http://countrystudies.us/south-korea/10.htm The Korean War], Country studies: South Korea</ref>

After the armistice, South Korea experienced political turmoil under years of autocratic leadership of [[Syngman Rhee]], which was ended by student revolt in 1960. Throughout his rule, Rhee sought to take additional steps to cement his control of government. These began in 1952, when the government was still based in [[Busan]] due to the ongoing war. In May of that year, Rhee pushed through constitutional amendments which made the presidency a directly-elected position. To do this, he declared martial law, arrested opposing members of parliament, demonstrators, and anti-government groups. Rhee was subsequently elected by a wide margin.<ref>{{in lang|ko}} [https://archive.today/20120708080330/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=126905 Rhee Syngman] at [[Doosan Encyclopedia]]</ref><ref name="lhh 588">Lee Hyun-hee (2005, pp 588–590)</ref><ref name="aks 178">The Academy of Korean Studies (2005, pp 178–181)</ref>

Rhee regained control of parliament in the [[Elections in South Korea#1954 legislative election|1954 election]], and thereupon pushed through an amendment to exempt himself from the eight-year term limit, and was once again re-elected in 1956.<ref>Institute of Historical Studies (2004, pp 320–321)</ref> Soon after, Rhee's administration arrested members of the opposing party and executed the leader after accusing him of being a North Korean spy.<ref name="aks 178"/><ref>{{in lang|ko}} [http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=138459 Jo Bongam] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304105300/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=138459 |date=4 March 2021 }} at [[Doosan Encyclopedia]]</ref>

The administration became increasingly repressive while dominating the political arena, and in 1958, it sought to amend the [[National Security Act (South Korea)|National Security Law]] to tighten government control over all levels of administration, including the local units.<ref name="lhh 588"/> These measures caused much outrage among the people, but despite public outcry, Rhee's administration rigged the [[March 1960 South Korean presidential election|March 1960 presidential election]] and won by a landslide.<ref>The Academy of Korean Studies (2005, pp 186–189)</ref>

On that election day, protests by students and citizens against the irregularities of the election burst out in the city of [[Masan]]. Initially these protests were quelled with force by local police, but when the body of a student was found floating in the harbor of Masan, the whole country was enraged and protests spread nationwide.<ref name="aks 2rep"/><ref>{{in lang|ko}} [https://archive.today/20120707225356/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=726618 Cause of the 4.19 Revolution] at [[Doosan Encyclopedia]]</ref> On 19 April, students from various universities and schools rallied and marched in protest in the Seoul streets, in what would be called the [[April Revolution]]. The government declared martial law, called in the army, and suppressed the crowds with open fire.<ref name="aks 2rep"/><ref name="lhh 592">Lee Hyun-hee (2005, pp 591–592)</ref><ref>{{in lang|ko}} [https://archive.today/20120710225228/http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=84193 4.19 Revolution] at [[Doosan Encyclopedia]]</ref> Subsequent protests throughout the country shook the government, and after an escalated protest with university professors taking to the streets on 25 April, Rhee submitted his official resignation on 26 April and fled into exile.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-25 |title=President Syngman Rhee's resignation statement on April 26, 1960 |url=https://www.imaeil.com/page/view/2024042514435342702}}</ref>