List of ambassadors of the United States to South Korea
At the end of World War II, American forces accepted Imperial Japan's surrender in southern Korea, and Soviet forces accepted the surrender of the Japanese in northern Korea. Talks to agree upon a unity government for Korea failed and in 1948, two separate Korean states were created: the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The United States established diplomatic relations with the new South Korean government, but did not recognize North Korea. Other countries, like the Soviet Union, recognized the Pyongyang government in North Korea, but did not initially establish relations with the South Korean government in Seoul.
Shin Hyun-hwak
Hyun-hwak was the South Korean minister of Health and Social affairs between 1975 and 1978, becoming Deputy Prime Minister of South Korea in 1978. While Deputy Prime Minister, he was also minister for the economic planning board. Following the assassination of Park Chung-hee, Prime Minister Choi Kyu-hah became acting President of South Korea. On December 13th 1979, Hyun-hwak was appointed as Prime Minister of South Korea, as part of the Coup d'état of December Twelfth. Following the coup, Choi Kyu-hah repealed a decree banning criticism of the constitution, as well as releasing dissidents from prison. Following the Coup d'état of May Seventeenth, Hyun-hwak was deposed on 21st May 1980, in the events that lead to the dissolution of the Fourth Republic of Korea and creation of the Fifth Republic of Korea.