Chang Myon

Chang Myon (Korean: 장면; August 28, 1899 – June 4, 1966) was a South Korean statesman, educator, diplomat, journalist and social activist as well as a Roman Catholic youth activist. He was the only prime minister of the parliamentary Second Republic. In addition, during the First Republic he was the fourth and last vice president of South Korea. His art name was Unseok (운석). His English name was John Chang Myon (baptismal name, surname, given name, respectively).

Under Japanese rule, Chang worked in education as a school teacher, administrator, and principal. In 1948, he led the delegation of the Republic of Korea to the UN General Assembly. In 1949, he became the first ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States. In 1950, he successfully appealed to the United States and the UN to send troops to assist in the Korean War. On November 23, 1950, he was appointed the prime minister of the First Republic of Korea. From 1956 to 1960, he served as the vice president of the First Republic of Korea.

When Syngman Rhee's government was ousted by the student-led pro-democracy uprising of April Revolution, he was elected the prime minister of the Second Republic in 1960. After the country adopted a parliamentary system in response to Rhee's abuse of presidential power, Chang became the head of government. Chang Myon's government ended when Park Chung Hee led a successful military coup on May 16, 1961.