Educational Materials
> Education and Cultural Events > Educational Materials
Establishment of the Government of the Republic of Korea
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Establishment of ROK
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Educational Materials of Modern Korean History #2
(National Museum of Korean Contemporary History)
The Establishment of the Government of the Republic of Korea
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. The Beginning of the Politics of Establishing New Nation-state
That long-awaited day finally came. The Soviet Union reached the Korean Peninsula first and placed itself above the 38th parallel, while the United States remained below the 38th parallel, erasing the shadows of Japan.
August 15, 1945
Liberation
Politicians and independence activists within and outside Korea began planning for a better Korea in the future.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. The Moscow Conference of Foreign Ministers and the Five-year Trusteeship of Korea
However, the joys of liberation did not last for long. During the Moscow Conference of Foreign Ministers, the conference participants agreed on an interim government, but on the condition of a trusteeship.
Decisions agreed upon by the foreign ministers of the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union
1. A provisional government will be established to rebuild the country as an independent state
2. A Joint Commission consisting of representatives from the United States and
the Soviet Union will be established to work towards that goal
3. A trusteeship of up to five years made up of the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and China will be established, but the Joint Commission will work with the Korean provisional government
4. The Joint
Commission will meet within a period of two weeks to discuss issues affecting both halves of Korea
3. “No Trusteeship!”
This news generated shockwaves across Korea. To Koreans, “trusteeship” was like a return to being a Japanese colony...
Trusteeship
...and anti-trusteeship rallies spread nationwide.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4. Support Moscow - Why did the Leftists suddenly Change their Position?
However, on January 2, Communists suddenly did an about-face, showing their support for the trusteeship.
Absolute support for the Moscow agreement
Why?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5. The Soviet-supported Communization of North Korea
The Soviet Union was working behind the scenes. At that time, it had begun Communization of North Korea. Stalin had planned to infiltrate Communists into the government sponsored by the United States-Soviet Union Joint Commission and have Communists take key positions.
Establish a bourgeois government based on anti-Japanese factions
While there was a split of factions based on supporting or opposing the trusteeship south of the 38th parallel, in Pyongyang, Communization was taking place in perfect order, according to Soviet plans.
North Korean Provisional People’s Committee established
February 8, 1946
North Korean land reform / implemented in March 1946
All privately owned land confiscated with no compensation and divided among farmers for free Landowners are expelled from their homes
6. First Round of Joint Commission Talks - Will a Unified Interim Government be Established?
On March 20, 1946, the first meeting of the US-Soviet Union Joint Commission took place.
First meeting of the United States-Soviet Union Joint Commission
March 20, 1946
The Soviet Union was of the position that only those who agreed to the Moscow agreement could participate in the meeting.
“Only groups that support the Moscow agreement should be allowed to participate.”
But the United States, advocating the freedom of speech, claimed that any party could participate regardless of their stances on the trusteeship.
“All groups and organizations should be able to participate since there is freedom of speech”
There was no room for compromise. Eventually, on May 8, the Joint Commission entered indefinite recess.
First meeting of the United States-Soviet Union Joint Commission enters indefinite recess
May 8, 1946
The US Army government and all South Korean factions became involved in trying to gain the initiative.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7. National Circumstances since the Breakdown of the Joint Commission (1) - The US Army Government Proceeds a Leftists-Rights Coalition
The United States’ new strategy was to create a centrist faction, made up of central rightist Kim Kyu-sik and central leftist Lyuh Woon-hyung.
The United States’ new plan: a left-right coalition
Kim Kyu-sik
Lyuh Woon-hyung
However, the centrist faction was very weak, and had no great influence in the nation’s political stage.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8. National Circumstances since the Breakdown of the Joint Commission (2) - Syngman Rhee and Kim Koo
With the United States supporting a moderate group and ignoring the rightists, Syngman Rhee and Kim Koo adopted a opposing stance to the US Army government.
Rhee called for at least an interim government within South Korea first.
Push by Syngman Rhee for a South Korean government
Kim Koo continued anti-trusteeship activities and attempted to create a government separate from the US Army government.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9. National Circumstances since the Breakdown of the Joint Commission (2) - The Leftists’ New Strategy
Communists changed tactics and began attacking the US Army government.
The Communist Party embarked on a new tactics after being hit by the counterfeit money incident.
Jeongpansa
A currency printing shop at the end of Japan’s colonial era was purchased by the Communist Party and turned into a printing shop for the bulletin “Haebang-ilbo”
The Communist Party’s new tactics
September – general strikes in major cities
October – large-scale strikes and uprisings
The Korean Peninsula in 1946
North Korea : Socialism drive by the Communist Party of North Korea
South Korea : Encouragement of a centrist faction by the US Army government
Push by Syngman Rhee for a South Korean government
Kim Koo’s anti-trusteeship drive
Park Heon-young’s anti-US Army government movement
10. Breakdown of 2nd Round of Joint Commission Talks – What are the United States and the Soviet Union Seeking?
In the spring of 1947, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to reconvene the Joint Commission.
Second US-Soviet Joint Commission meeting
May 21, 1947
Just like the first meeting, both the United States and the Soviet Union could not seek common ground over who could attend the meeting.
October 21, 1947
Second US-Soviet Joint Commission meeting breaks down
Eventually, the United States gave up on the Moscow agreement and passed the Korea issue to the United Nations.
September 23, 1947
The United Nations General Assembly places Korea on its agenda
11. Korean Independence in the United Nations – What Fate Lies for Korea?
The United Nations decided the general election encompassing South and North Korea under UN supervision.
November 14, 1947
The United Nations General Assembly decides to conduct nationwide elections under UN supervision
However, the Soviet Union denied the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea entry into North Korea.
Subsequently, the United Nations determined elections in the only part of the country it had access to, South Korea.
February 26, 1948
The United Nations mini-Assembly decides to hold elections in areas where UN observation of election is possible
12. Efforts by Leftists of North and South Korea to Disrupt Elections – Violent Conflict
The Soviet Union and Communists from both Koreas generated conflict in order to stop the elections. They called for the withdrawal of all foreign troops and demanded that Koreans be allowed to solve their own issues. However, with North Korea now a Communist country, this was a ploy to turn the entire peninsula into a Communist country.
The demands raised by the Soviet Union and Communists of both Koreas
- Opposition against the UN-supervised unified elections
- Early withdrawal of US and Soviet forces
- Letting Koreans alone handle the issue of Korea
13. The Change of South Korean Centrists’ Stance – Opposition to Separate Election and Separate Government
In the midst of violent conflicts between South Korean rightists and South-North Korean leftists about the election under UN surveillance, South Korean Centrists with rightist Kim Koo changed their stance against the election. They thought that the separation of two Koreas would be set by the
election.
On March 1948, North Korea unilaterally announced an all-Korean social organization conference to oppose the elections.
Kim Koo and Kim Kyu-sik headed northward, a sincere attempt to keep Korea from splitting into two.
However, the conference only consisted of criticizing South Korea’s elections. There was no such thing as “negotiation.”
April 19, 1948
Conference of pan-Korean parties and social organizations heads
The Soviet Union was behind this conference. One week prior to the conference taking place, the Soviet Union conveyed what to cover and what kind of document to prepare in a written order.
Decision by the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party
Report number 63, section 38
April 12, 1948
(Advice for Comrade Kim Il-sung)
When running the conference, be sure to stay in accordance to the following political basics.
- Boycott the South Korean independent elections which are taking place in order to delay reunion and independence.
- Respond to the South
Korean reference of the Soviet Union’s stance of withdrawing all foreign soldiers from South Korea by demanding that North Korea too demands the withdrawal of foreign troops
Stalin
In the end, the Soviet Union and North Korea nullified the sincere attempt to prevent the separation of Korea.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14. The People Practice Their Rights – The May 10 Election
On May 10, 1948, the UN-observed elections took place.
May 10 General Election poster
Courtesy of the National Folk Museum of Korea
May 10, 1948
Constitutional Assembly election
It was Korea’s first-ever election in its history, and that too an election that was fair and direct and promised anonymity.
Voter turnout hit 95.5%, and 198 members were elected.
Election results
Voter turnout rate: 95.5%
198 members elected
15. South Korea’s Ideals are Gathered – The First Constitution
On May 31, the Constitutional Assembly was called into session.
May 31, 1948
Constitutional Assembly is inaugurated
On July 17, the Korean Constitution was proclaimed, filled with ideals.
Yoo Jin-oh’s draft of the Constitution
(Constitution of the Republic Korea)
Article 1 – The Republic of Korea shall be a democratic republic.
Article 2 – The sovereignty of the Republic of Korea shall reside in the people, and all state authority shall emanate from the people.
- Issue 1 of the Official
Gazette, Provisions for the first constitution
On July 20, an indirect election from the national assembly elected Syngman Rhee as the nation’s inaugural president.
July 20, 1948
First presidential election takes place
16. The Republic of Korea is Established
On August 15, 1948, the independent nation all wanted was born with the name of the Republic of Korea.
August 15. 1948
Declaration of the establishment of the government of the Republic of Korea
[President Syngman Rhee’s congratulatory speech]
Today, August 15, marks both our independence as well as the birth of our new democratic nation.
Today, the Han nation, one of the East’s oldest nations is restored through the South Korean government, and this is the result of
dreaming, hoping and fighting heroically for the past 40 years.
The republic of Korea got acknowledgement from the United Nations in December 1948 that its government was the sole legitimate government of all of the Korean peninsula.
December 12, 1948
The United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution confirming the government of the Republic of Korea
17. Declaration of North Korean Communist State
Following the establishment of the Republic of Korea, about 20 days later, on September 9, North Korea also established itself as a nation.
North Korea had already chosen a country name for itself and passed a draft version of its constitution in April 1948 and waited for the establishment of South Korean government to evade the responsibility of separation.
September 9, 1948
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is established
18. Epilogue
The newly formed Republic of Korea did not have everything.
However, for the first time in the history of the Han people, the nation was a nation where sovereignty belonged to the people. People could freely make use of their talents, and the nation guaranteed due rewards to those who worked hard.
The start of the nation was bumpy with some imperfections and flaws. However, these imperfections and flaws could be cured, and the nation has been on the right historical developmental path.
This nation is none other than the Republic of Korea.
For the first time in the history of the Korean people, the sovereignty of the nation lies in the people
A country where anyone can freely pursue his own goals and rightfully earn what he worked for
A nation that has been on the right historical developmental path
This is the Republic of Korea