March 1960 South Korean Presidential Election

The rigged election

15 March 1960 · The First Republic and its fall

Presidential and vice presidential elections were held in South Korea on 15 March 1960. Shortly after winning reelection to a second term in the 1952 presidential election, Rhee had the legislature pass a constitutional amendment exempting himself from the two-term limit, allowing himself to run for and win a third term in 1956 and in March 1960.

So blatantly rigged that it was annulled: the fraud ignited the April Revolution, ended the First Republic, and sent Syngman Rhee into exile.

President before

Syngman Rhee

Liberal

Elected President

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Winning share

100.0%

Turnout

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The result

Syngman Rhee
Liberal Party · 9,633,376 votes
100.00%
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