[Politics That Day] High School Student's Body Brutally Affected by Tear Gas Found in Masan Bay...

April 11, 1960, Moss-Covered High School Student's Body
Secretly Drowned Off Masan Coast, Washed Ashore
Trigger of the April 19 Revolution, President Resigns Two Weeks Later

Editor's Note‘On That Day in Politics’ is a series that looks back on Korean politics through the ‘recollection of memories’ related to notable scenes, events, and figures.

April 11, 1960. The body of student Kim Ju-yeol, who attended Masan Commercial High School in Gyeongnam, was washed ashore along the coast of Masan. It was discovered by soldiers passing through the area. The condition at the time of discovery was horrific. A tear gas canister was lodged in his eye.

The corpse was covered with algae, indicating that it had drifted in the sea for quite some time before returning. The missing student Kim Ju-yeol was revealed as the victim. The entire nation was shocked.

The unstable political situation was thrown into turmoil. The massive anger of public sentiment spread beyond Masan to Busan, Seoul, Daegu, Gwangju, and other regions. Especially in Masan, the situation was serious. At the time, the government of President Syngman Rhee declared a firm stance on cracking down on protests, but this only fueled the public’s anger.

The shocking image of student Kim Ju-yeol was broadcast worldwide through the media. It was no longer just a Korean incident but an event that attracted global attention. In April 1960, the Syngman Rhee government stood at a crossroads of survival.

The waves of public anger had been sensed since the late 1950s. Corruption of power and suppression of freedom combined to drive the public away. The fraudulent March 15, 1960 election led the Rhee government to an irrecoverable state.

All possible methods of election fraud were employed: ghost voting, forced abstention, ballot box swapping, bribery and terrorizing of observers. Public opinion criticizing the fraudulent election surged. It was in this context that the shocking discovery of student Kim Ju-yeol’s body occurred.

On the 61st anniversary of the April 19 Revolution in 2021, a citizen visiting the National April 19 Democratic Cemetery in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, is paying respects at the democratic cemetery area. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

The shock of April 11 led to the April 19 Revolution, a turning point in modern Korean history. The Rhee government desperately tried to manage the situation. On April 19, a state of emergency was declared in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, and Daejeon.

This drastic measure was taken as protests by citizens and students spread uncontrollably. Following the declaration of martial law, armored vehicles were deployed in downtown Seoul. However, force could not stop the tide of public sentiment. Protesters flooded the streets of Seoul like a tidal wave.

University students, high school students, office workers, housewives, and various others took to the streets. The government responded with police gunfire. It was a tragedy in modern history; many people died. Children and women lost their lives. The death toll rose beyond 100, reaching around 200. Thousands were injured.

Together with May 1980, the events of April 1960 remain a tragedy in modern history. Although the April 19 Revolution happened over 60 years ago, the shock and pain of that day have not disappeared.

The March 15 fraudulent election, carried out for the power succession of President Syngman Rhee, the adoptive father of Kang-seok Lee, and his biological father Ki-bung Lee, sparked national outrage and resistance, eventually leading to the April 19 Revolution. After President Syngman Rhee declared his resignation, the next dawn, the Ki-bung Lee family, who were hiding in Gyeongmudae, were all shot dead by Kang-seok Lee on the spot, and shortly after, Kang-seok Lee also shot himself, punishing the power he had illegitimately enjoyed along with his family. Photo left: President Syngman Rhee, right: Ki-bung Lee

Fifteen days after the discovery of student Kim Ju-yeol’s body, on April 26, 1960, President Syngman Rhee resigned. The citizens’ demand for his resignation was finally realized.

“If the people want, I will resign from the presidency.”

Did he truly accept the will of the people? President Rhee’s resignation message implied much.

President Syngman Rhee fled Korea and went into exile in Hawaii, USA. He passed away there.