An Australian View of the Pusan Political Crisis in Korea, 1952

• Main Authors: Munro Ronald, Daeyeol Yea
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea University, Center for Korean History 2015-02-01
• Series: International Journal of Korean History
• Subjects: James Plimsoll; Korea-Australia Relations; Pusan Political Crisis; Syngman Rhee; UNCURK
• Online Access: http://ijkh.khistory.org/upload/pdf/ijkh-20-1-117.pdf
• ISSN: 1598-2041; 2508-5921

This paper examines the ‘Pusan Political Crisis’ through Australian archival documents. Though Australia was a member of the UNTCOK (United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea), it opposed the strategy of the US to establish a divided government in Korea. Thus, Australia paid sharp attention to the political situation in Korea as it took part in the UNCURK (United Nations Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea). The scramble for power broke out in Pusan, which was the ROK’s interim wartime capital. The president was to be elected by the National Assembly according to the Constitution, but the majority of National Assembly members didn’t support Syngman Rhee. Thus, he intended to change over to a direct presidential election system to win re-election. The members of the National Assembly opposed to Syngman Rhee appealed to the Australian diplomat to assist in preventing Rhee formally becoming a dictator. Although the Australian diplomat sincerely desired to intervene in this event due to his belief in and desire for adherence to democratic principles he was to some extent reluctant to do so as he did not have specific orders and to interfere in the domestic affairs of a sovereign was not a step to be taken lightly. Plimsoll was also fully aware of the propaganda victory it would give the Soviet Union-the UNO removing the head of state of a country it had brought into being. Eventually Rhee concluded this crisis by proclaiming martial law and arresting his opponents in the National Assembly.