Yun Poson

Yun Bo-seon (Korea:윤보선, August 26, 1897 – July 18, 1990) was the President of South Korea from 1960 to 1962.

His Excellency Yun Poson
윤보선 尹潽善
Official portrait, 1960
2nd President of South Korea
In office August 13, 1960 – March 24, 1962
Prime Minister	Ho Chong Chang Myon Song Yo-chan
Preceded by	Rhee Syngman
Succeeded by	Park Chung-hee
2nd Mayor of Seoul
In office December 15, 1948 – June 5, 1949
Preceded by	Kim Hyong-min
Succeeded by	Lee Ki-poong
Personal details
Born	(1897-08-26)August 26, 1897 Sinhang-ri, Dunpo-myeon, Asan County, South Chungcheong, Joseon (present day South Korea)
Died	July 18, 1990(1990-07-18) (aged 92) Anguk-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Resting place	Yun Family Cemetery
Political party	Democratic (1955) → New Democratic (1967) (Liberalism in South Korea)
Spouse(s)	Lady Min (1910s–1937), Gong Deok-gwi (1948–1990)
Relations	Uncle: Yun Chi-sung
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh (BA, MA)
Religion	Christianity
Signature
Korean name
Hangul	윤보선
Hanja	尹潽善
Revised Romanization	Yun Boseon
McCune–Reischauer	Yun Posŏn
Pen name
Hangul	해위
Hanja	海葦
Revised Romanization	Haewi
McCune–Reischauer	Haewi
Courtesy name
Hangul	경천
Hanja	敬天
Revised Romanization	Gyeongcheon
McCune–Reischauer	Kyŏngch'ŏn

He was born in Asan, South Chungcheong province, Yun graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1930. He entered politics after Japanese occupation ended in 1945, with Syngman Rhee being his mentor. In 1948, Yun was made mayor of Seoul by Rhee. A year later, he was made the Minister of Commerce and Industry. Soon, he started to disagree with Rhee's authoritarian policies. He then served as president of the Red Cross Society, before being elected to the National Assembly in 1954. A year later, he founded the opposition Democratic Party along with several others.

After Rhee's government was ousted by a student-led pro-democracy uprising, Yun was elected president on August 13, 1960. He was merely a figurehead, as South Korea had switched to a parliamentary system in response to the authoritarian excesses of Rhee's regime. After Park Chung Hee's coup in 1961, he stayed on briefly to provide legitimacy to the regime, but resigned on March 22, 1962. He opposed Park's authoritarian rule and ran for president twice in 1963 and 1967, losing each time. After receiving suspended sentences several times for anti-government activities, Yun retired from politics in 1980 and focused primarily on cultural activities until his death from diabetes and high blood pressure. He died in 1990.