Cho Bong-am facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cho Bong-am
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조봉암
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| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 31 May 1948 – 30 May 1954 |
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| Constituency | Incheon |
| Minister of Agriculture and Forestry | |
| In office 15 August 1948 – 22 February 1949 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 September 1898 Incheon, Korean Empire (now South Korea) |
| Died | 31 July 1959 (aged 60) Seoul, South Korea |
| Political party | Progressive |
| Alma mater | Communist University of the Toilers of the East |
| Cho Bong-am | |
| Hangul |
조봉암
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| Hanja |
曺奉岩
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| Revised Romanization | Jo Bongam |
| McCune–Reischauer | Cho Pongam |
Cho Bong-am (Hangul: 조봉암; Hanja: 曺奉岩, September 25, 1898 – July 31, 1959) was an important South Korean politician and activist. He worked for Korea's independence from Japanese rule. Later, he ran for president in the 1956 South Korean presidential election.
Cho Bong-am was a founding member of the Communist Party of Korea. He also helped create the Progressive Party. This party was a big political group in South Korea. It believed in moderate socialism and democracy.
Contents
Early Life and Activism
Cho Bong-am was born in Incheon, Korea, in 1898. When he was a young man, he fought for Korea's freedom. In 1919, he joined the March 1st Movement, a big protest against Japanese rule. Because of this, he was put in prison for a year.
After his release, Cho Bong-am studied in Japan and the Soviet Union. In the 1920s, he was very active in the Korean Communist Party.
A New Path for Korea
After Japanese rule ended in 1945, Cho Bong-am made a big decision. In 1946, he left the Communist Party. He felt the party was too controlled by the Soviet Union.
After the United States Army Military Government in Korea ended in 1947, South Korea became an independent country. Cho Bong-am then became the Minister of Agriculture. He served under Syngman Rhee, who was the first president of South Korea.
Running for President
In 1952, Cho Bong-am decided to run for president for the first time. He ran against the current president, Syngman Rhee, and another candidate, Yi Si-yeong. He received about 800,000 votes.
The Progressive Party
After the Korean War, Cho Bong-am started a new political group. It was called the Progressive Party. This party was known for its left-liberal ideas. Cho Bong-am was a very charismatic leader. He brought together many different groups who wanted change.
The Progressive Party had some key ideas:
- They wanted a peaceful way to unite South and North Korea. They believed this could happen by making South Korea more democratic. Then, a unified Korean election could take place.
- They were against both communism and authoritarian rule.
- They wanted social welfare programs. These programs would help farmers and poor people in cities.
The 1956 Election
In the 1956 presidential election, Cho Bong-am ran against President Syngman Rhee again. Rhee was a very strong anti-communist leader. Cho Bong-am lost the election, but he got 30% of the votes. This was more than many people expected.
After the election, the Progressive Party faced some challenges. Different groups within the party started to disagree, and the party eventually broke apart.
His Legacy
Three years after the election, Cho Bong-am faced serious charges. He was accused of spying and getting money from North Korea. In his first trial, he was found not guilty. However, he was convicted in a second trial. He was executed on July 31, 1959.
Many years later, in 2011, the South Korean Supreme Court looked at his case again. They decided that his death sentence was wrong. This decision happened after his death, which is called "posthumously overturned." It showed that he was treated unfairly.
See also
In Spanish: Cho Bong-am para niños
