Heo Jeong


Heo Jeong was a South Korean politician and Korean independence activist, who served as the sixth Prime Minister of South Korea during the country's Second Republic.
In 1960 he was an acting prime minister during the First South Korean Republic. In addition, he headed a caretaker government for a brief time following the 1960 April Revolution which overthrew the First Republic. Heo was also known by the nickname, "Uyang", and an alternative name, Heo Sung-su.

Career

Heo Jeong was born in Busan, South Gyeongsang province. His father, Heo Mun-il, was a wealthy merchant. In 1922, Heo went into political asylum, where he lent a hand to Syngman Rhee. From 1922 to 1936, Heo participated in Korean resistance movements. On September 2, 1945, he joined the Korea Democratic Party. In 1950, he was appointed to Acting Prime Minister and later in 1951, additionally was Minister of Health until 1952. From 1957 to 1959 he was appointed as Mayor of Seoul and was later dispatched to Japan as the South Korean special envoy to Japan. On April 16, he became Foreign Minister. On April 25, he was appointed Acting Prime Minister, and the following day President Syngman Rhee resigned. Heo Jeong was additionally Acting President to August 18 of that year. On July 16, 1960, he was appointed as the 6th Prime Minister of South Korea, by the National Assembly. He was remained Acting President of South Korea until succeeded by Yun Bo-seon on his election.
In 1919, he met Syngman Rhee in a Methodist church of Seoul. From then until 1960, Heo Jeong was Syngman Rhee's enthusiastic follower.

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