Ho Chong, Huh Chung, or Heo Jeong (; April 8, 1896September 18, 1988) was a South Korean
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
and Korean independence
activist
Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...
, who served as the sixth
Prime Minister of South Korea
The prime minister of the Republic of Korea (PMOTROK or PMOSK; ) is the deputy head of government and the second highest political office of South Korea who is appointed by the President of the Republic of Korea, with the National Assembly's app ...
during the country's
Second Republic.
In 1960, he was an acting prime minister during the
First South Korean Republic. In addition, he headed a
caretaker government
A caretaker government is a temporary ''ad hoc'' government that performs some governmental duties and functions in a country until a regular government is elected or formed. Depending on specific practice, it usually consists of either randomly se ...
for a brief time following the 1960
April Revolution
The April Revolution ( ko, 4.19 혁명), also called the April 19 Revolution or April 19 Movement, were mass protests in South Korea against President Syngman Rhee and the First Republic from April 11 to 26, 1960 which led to Rhee's resigna ...
which overthrew the First Republic. Ho was also known by the nickname, "Uyang" (; literally "friend of the seas"), and an alternative name, Heo Sung-su ().
Career
Ho Chong was born in
Busan
Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...
,
South Gyeongsang
South Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상남도, translit=Gyeongsangnam-do, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World ...
province. His father, Ho Mun-il, was a wealthy merchant. In 1922, Ho went into political asylum, where he lent a hand to
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960.
Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...
. From 1922 to 1936, Ho participated in Korean resistance movements. On September 2, 1945, he joined the
Korea Democratic Party
The Korea Democratic Party (, KDP) was the leading opposition party in the first years of the First Republic of Korea. It existed from 1945 to 1949, when it merged with other opposition parties.
The U.S. military government has defined the ...
. In 1950, he was appointed to Acting Prime Minister and later in 1951, additionally was Minister of Health until 1952. From 1957 to 1959 he was appointed as
Mayor of Seoul
The Mayor of Seoul () is the chief executive of Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul being the capital and largest city of South Korea.
The position is historically one of the most powerful in the country, charged with managing an annual budget ...
and was later dispatched to Japan as the South Korean special envoy to Japan. On April 16, he became Foreign Minister. On April 25, he was appointed Acting Prime Minister, and the following day President
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960.
Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...
resigned. Ho Chong was additionally Acting President until August 18 of that year. On July 16, 1960, he was appointed as the 6th
Prime Minister of South Korea
The prime minister of the Republic of Korea (PMOTROK or PMOSK; ) is the deputy head of government and the second highest political office of South Korea who is appointed by the President of the Republic of Korea, with the National Assembly's app ...
, by the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...
. He remained
Acting President of South Korea until succeeded by
Yun Bo-seon
Yun Po-sun (; or ; August 26, 1897 – July 18, 1990) 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.
H ...
on his election.
In 1919, he met
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960.
Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...
in a Methodist church of
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
. Since then and until 1960, Ho Chong was
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960.
Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...
's enthusiastic follower.
Bibliography
* ''For After Day's Testimony'' (《내일을 위한 증언》; SaemTer, 1979)
See also
*
April 19 Movement
The April Revolution ( ko, 4.19 혁명), also called the April 19 Revolution or April 19 Movement, were mass protests in South Korea against President Syngman Rhee and the First Republic from April 11 to 26, 1960 which led to Rhee's resigna ...
*
Politics of South Korea
The politics of the Republic of Korea take place in the framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the president is the head of state, and of a multi-party system. The government exercises executive power and l ...
*
History of South Korea
The history of South Korea formally begins with the Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945. Noting that, South Korea and North Korea are entirely different countries, despite still being the same people and on the same peninsula.
Backgroun ...
*
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960.
Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...
References
Site link
Heo Jeong
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ho, Chong
1896 births
1988 deaths
People from Busan
Korean independence activists
Government ministers of South Korea
Korea University alumni
South Korean anti-communists
South Korean Methodists
Mayors of Seoul
Democratic Party (South Korea, 1955) politicians
Liberal Party (South Korea) politicians
South Korean journalists
Korean nationalists
Members of the National Assembly (South Korea)
Foreign ministers of South Korea
Acting presidents of South Korea
Heo clan of Gimhae
20th-century journalists