The
Fourth Republic of South Korea was the government of the Republic of Korea for over two decades in the final years of the Cold War. Ushered in by dictatorial president Park Chung-hee, the Fourth Republic was governed by the so-called Yushin ("rejuvenation") Constitution that removed almost all limits on Park's power, including allowing the previous constitution's limits on the amount of times he could run for re-election and allowing him to appoint one-third of the National Assembly. Park's economic vision for the country would result in the "Miracle on the Han River", transforming Korea from a poor, backwards country in the 1960s to an economic powerhouse by the time he died by investing heavily in industry and technology. However, Park's rule became increasingly tenuous as it went on, with South Koreans increasingly tired of the state of nationwide martial law (which Park had declared in 1972 at the end of the Third Republic), and lack of democracy and civil rights.
Park faced several assassination attempts (some tied to the North Korean regime) and serious protests throughout his long presidency, and the frequency of the latter increasing as more and more Koreans with no memories of the Korean War came of age. Park also faced increasing scrutiny from his main allies in Washington, especially after Park dragged his feet ending the country's nuclear program following the Kahuta incident. By the time of his last re-election in 1990, Park had few defenders left in Washington, and the Huddleston administration had begun to increasingly lean on Park to begin democratization. The author of the Yushin Constitution, however, refused. Park's rationale was that, with North Korean dictator Kim Il-sung's advancing age, the country needed a strong leadership in case Kim's son and heir apparent, Kim Jong-il, felt he needed to invade South Korea to prove his legitimacy. However, the senior Kim would in fact outlive Park by a matter of months. Park died in February 1994 at the age of 76. Prime Minister Roh Tae-woo became acting president, and repealed the station of martial law. Roh also used his power to dissolve the National Assembly for elections concurrent with the electoral college that would confirm him as president and promised to use his power to appoint a third of that body in proportion to the votes won at the new election.
With a National Assembly and president committed to democratization, the Yushin Constitution's days were numbered. As South Koreans cautiously watched Kim Jong-il ascend to the leadership of North Korea following his father's death in July, a new democratic constitution was promulgated, ushering in the Fifth Republic.
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