1956 South Korean presidential election

1956 South Korean presidential election

← 1952 15 May 1956 March 1960 →
Presidential election
 
Candidate Syngman Rhee Cho Bong-am
Party Liberal Independent
Popular vote 5,046,437 2,163,808
Percentage 69.99% 30.01%

President before election

Syngman Rhee
Liberal

Elected President

Syngman Rhee
Liberal

Vice-Presidential election
 
Candidate Chang Myon Lee Ki Poong
Party Democratic Liberal
Popular vote 4,012,654 3,805,502
Percentage 46.43% 44.03%

Vice-President before election

Ham Tae-young
Independent

Elected Vice-President

Chang Myon
Democratic

Presidential and vice-presidential elections were held in South Korea on 15 May 1956.[1] The result was a victory for Syngman Rhee, who won 70.0% of the vote. Voter turnout was 94.4%.[2]

Election posters for Rhee's Liberal party

Rhee, who at that time held a virtual monopoly on political power, was opposed by Shin Ik-hee and Cho Bong-am. Shin died before the election by disease, and Cho campaigned on a platform of peaceful reunification in opposition to Rhee's policy of "March North and unify Korea".[3] Cho exceeded expectations by receiving over 30% of the vote. Three years later, Cho was accused of violating the National Security Law and executed.[4]

  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p420 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
  2. ^ Nohlen et al., p464
  3. ^ Kim, H-A (2004). Korea's development under Park Chung Hee. RoutledgeCurzon, pp. 42–43.
  4. ^ Kim, p. 42.