Volta
Politics4 July 1952

Excerpt Amendment

In the provisional capital Busan, the Rhee government declared martial law and pushed a constitutional amendment for direct presidential elections through the Assembly.

Presidential residence in the wartime capital Busan, now the Provisional Capital Memorial Hall
Presidential residence in the wartime capital Busan, now the Provisional Capital Memorial Hall

Steve46814 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

Many independents opposed to Rhee won seats in the May 1950 election, making his re-election by the Assembly unlikely. Rhee formed the Liberal Party and sought an amendment for direct presidential elections.

In May 1952 martial law was declared around Busan and opposing assembly members were detained (the Busan political crisis). On 4 July an amendment combining the government’s direct-election plan with excerpts from the Assembly’s cabinet-system bill was passed by a standing vote. Rhee won the direct election in August.

Show on the map

The map in 1952

Open the full map

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

States and rulers at the time
South Korea — President Syngman Rhee
Places
Busan

People

  • Syngman Rhee1875 – 1965

    leader · First President of the Provisional Government, who worked through diplomacy in the US; later first President of the Republic of Korea

Before and after

Earlier
1950 Korean War
Later
1953 Aid Economy and the "Three Whites" Industries

Themes that include this event

  • Busan1443 – 1979

    Port of the Japan House and of the 1876 opening — Korea’s gateway to Japan, and wartime capital in the Korean War