Sin Ik-hui (Korean신익히; Hanja申翼熙; 9 June 1894 – 5 May 1956) was a Korean independence activist and politician.[1] He was Speaker of the National Assembly during President Syngman Rhee's first term (4 August 1948 and 30 May 1950) and second term (19 June 1950 and 30 May 1954).

Sin Ik-hui
신익히
Sin in 1952
Speaker of the National Assembly
In office
4 August 1948 – 30 May 1954
Preceded bySyngman Rhee
Succeeded byLee Ki-poong
Member of the National Assembly
In office
31 May 1948 – 5 May 1956
ConstituencyGwangju, Gyeonggi
Personal details
Born(1894-06-09)9 June 1894
Died5 May 1956(1956-05-05) (aged 61)
Political partyNational Association, Democratic Nationalist, Democratic Party
Alma materWaseda University
Korean name
Hangul
신익히 or 신익희
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSin Ikhi or Sin Ikhui
McCune–ReischauerSin Ikhi or Sin Ikhŭi

His nickname was Haegong (해공; 海公) or Haehu (해후; 海候) and his courtesy name was Yeogu (여구; 如耉). He also went by the name Patrick Henry Shinicky in English-language publications.[2][3]

Early life

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Sin was born in Samaru country in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. He was a descendant of Sin Rip, Sin Kyung-hee, and Sin Saimdang.

He became an orphan and his second elder half-brother Sin Kyu-hee nurtured him. In his early years, he studied abroad in Japan.

Political career

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In April 1919, he went into exile to Shanghai, China to join the Korean Provisional Government (KPG).

He was involved in the creation of the National Assembly of the KPG and was elected one of its congressmen. On 23 April 1919, he was appointed Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In August 1919, Sin became Vice Minister of Justice and then Minister of Justice in the following month. In September 1920, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1930s he worked as an English professor at a Chinese University.

In May 1940, he was appointed to Provisional Government of Korea, and in 1944 he was reappointed to Interior Minister to the Provisional Government.

In May 1948, he was elected Congressman of South Korean National Assembly. On 4 August 1948 he was 2nd term head of First Republic and 19 June 1950, he again was Speaker until 30 May 1954.

In 1955, he was involved with the founding of the Democratic Party and was later elected its fourth leader. In 1956, he ran for president.

Death

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On 5 May 1956, Sin died of heart failure shortly before he began campaigning for president. He had boarded a train to Seoul with John Chang after the candidate registration period had closed. But minutes after taking his seat, he became violently ill and rushed to the toilet, and died shortly afterwards.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Foundation, The Korea (30 March 2013). Korea Focus - August 2012. 한국국제교류재단. p. 28. ISBN 9788986090888.
  2. ^ "KOREA: Death Casts a Vote". Time. 29 February 1960. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  3. ^ Barr, John (1960). "South Korea in the Wake of an Election". The World Today. 16 (6): 242–249. ISSN 0043-9134. JSTOR 40393225.
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