1952 South Korean presidential election

1952 South Korean elections

5 August 1952

Presidential election

Candidate Syngman Rhee Cho Bong-am Yi Si-yeong Party Liberal Independent Democratic Nationalist Popular vote 5,238,769 797,504 764,715 Percentage 74.62% 11.36% 10.89%

President before election Syngman Rhee Liberal Elected President Syngman Rhee Liberal

Vice Presidential election

Candidate Ham Tae-young Lee Beom-seok Chough Pyung-ok Party Independent Liberal Democratic Nationalist Popular vote 2,943,813 1,815,692 575,260 Percentage 41.27% 25.45% 8.06%   Liberal KSDP Candidate Lee Gap-sung Yi Yun-yong Party Liberal Social Democratic Popular vote 500,972 458,583 Percentage 7.02% 6.43%

Vice President before election Kim Seong-su Liberal Elected Vice President Ham Tae-young Independent

Presidential and vice presidential elections were held in South Korea on 5 August 1952. The result was a victory for Syngman Rhee, who won 74.6% of the vote. Voter turnout was 88.1%. The election was held during the Korean War, which played an important role in consolidating Rhee's support.

Background

President Rhee's factions took a devastating blow in the 1950 legislative election, when they won a little more than a quarter of the seats in the National Assembly, combined. In belief he would have little shot at reelection in the opposition-controlled legislature, President Rhee decided to amend the constitution so that the president would be elected by the people, instead of the legislature. President Rhee had the amendment pass in July 1952, after using police and military to threaten lawmakers.

Results

President

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Syngman Rhee	Liberal Party	5,238,769	74.62
	Cho Bong-am	Independent	797,504	11.36
	Yi Si-yeong	Democratic Nationalist Party	764,715	10.89
	Shin Heung-u	Independent	219,696	3.13
Total			7,020,684	100.00
Valid votes			7,020,684	96.49
Invalid/blank votes			255,199	3.51
Total votes			7,275,883	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			8,259,428	88.09
Source: Nohlen et al.

By region

Region	Syngman Rhee		Cho Bong-am		Yi Si-yeong		Shin Heung-u
	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%
Seoul	205,300	82.2	25,631	10.3	14,883	6.0	3,923	1.6
Gyeonggi	657,174	87.7	44,967	6.0	34,704	4.6	12,891	1.7
Gangwon	366,583	92.4	10,516	2.7	13,378	3.4	6,305	1.6
North Chungcheong	386,665	86.7	25,875	5.8	23,006	5.2	10,409	2.3
South Chungcheong	636,061	82.4	56,590	7.3	58,754	7.6	20,947	2.7
North Jeolla	468,220	65.9	109,490	15.4	96,271	13.6	36,221	5.1
South Jeolla	823,587	73.6	99,885	8.9	165,245	14.8	30,677	2.7
North Gyeongsang	921,988	75.0	129,791	10.6	140,271	11.4	37,100	3.0
South Gyeongsang	693,523	55.4	288,654	23.0	211,544	16.9	58,586	4.7
Jeju	79,668	83.8	6,105	6.4	6,659	7.0	2,637	2.8
Total	5,238,769	74.6	797,504	11.4	764,715	10.9	219,696	3.1
Source: National Election Commission

Vice President

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Ham Tae-young	Independent	2,943,813	41.27
	Lee Beom-seok	Liberal Party	1,815,692	25.45
	Chough Pyung-ok	Democratic Nationalist Party	575,260	8.06
	Lee Gap-sung	Liberal Party Movement	500,972	7.02
	Yi Yun-yong	Choseon Democratic Party	458,583	6.43
	Jeon Jin-han	General Alliance of Laborers for Korean Independence	302,471	4.24
	Louise Yim	Liberal Party Movement	190,211	2.67
	Pak Sung-wook	Independent	181,388	2.54
	Jeong Ki-won	Liberal Party Movement	164,907	2.31
Total			7,133,297	100.00
Valid votes			7,133,297	98.11
Invalid/blank votes			137,585	1.89
Total votes			7,270,882	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			8,259,428	88.03

By region

Region	Ham Tae-young		Lee Beom-seok		Chough Pyung-ok		Lee Gap-sung		Yi Yun-yong		Jeon Jin-han		Louise Yim		Pak Sung-wook		Jeong Ki-won
	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%	Votes	%
Seoul	70,206	27.6	117,326	46.2	16,429	6.5	13,815	5.4	15,475	6.1	8,911	3.5	4,676	1.8	4,508	1.8	2,727	1.1
Gyeonggi	347,799	45.6	252,090	33.1	27,776	3.6	35,154	4.6	42,038	5.5	21,076	2.8	13,195	1.7	10,547	1.4	12,593	1.7
Gangwon	223,534	55.6	129,704	32.3	5,962	1.5	9,427	2.3	11,555	2.9	10,675	2.7	4,424	1.1	2,811	0.7	3,674	0.9
North Chungcheong	216,223	47.8	130,843	28.9	18,926	4.2	23,190	5.1	24,442	5.4	13,098	2.9	9,094	2.0	7,983	1.8	8,830	2.0
South Chungcheong	118,291	15.1	452,209	57.6	47,482	6.1	34,172	4.4	43,895	5.6	35,057	4.5	21,047	2.7	18,354	2.3	14,287	1.8
North Jeolla	190,246	26.3	235,637	32.5	67,731	9.4	48,554	6.7	63,729	8.8	34,750	4.8	37,024	5.1	24,985	3.5	21,500	3.0
South Jeolla	729,541	64.2	59,318	5.2	125,525	11.0	77,231	6.8	60,658	5.3	23,221	2.0	20,470	1.8	18,031	1.6	22,739	2.0
North Gyeongsang	716,794	57.4	97,256	7.8	100,498	8.1	115,755	9.3	73,684	5.9	50,884	4.1	28,263	2.3	32,719	2.6	31,980	2.6
South Gyeongsang	296,766	23.3	306,982	24.1	161,787	12.7	139,000	10.9	116,260	9.1	100,061	7.9	49,675	3.9	59,079	4.6	43,807	3.4
Jeju	34,413	36.0	34,327	35.9	3,144	3.3	4,674	4.9	6,847	7.2	4,738	5.0	2,343	2.5	2,371	2.5	2,770	2.9
Total	2,943,813	41.3	1,815,692	25.5	575,260	8.1	500,972	7.0	458,583	6.4	302,471	4.2	190,211	2.7	181,388	2.5	164,907	2.3