Popular discontent had arisen in South Korea due to President Syngman Rhee’s autocratic rule, corruption, use of violence against political opposition, and uneven development of South Korea. However, the discovery of the body of a local high school student who had been killed by police during demonstrations against rigged elections in March 1960, in the southeastern port city of Masan, led to large student protests in Seoul on this day in 1960, which were violently suppressed; a total of 186 people were killed during the two weeks of protest. Rhee resigned on April 26 before fleeing to exile in the United States, and was replaced by Yun Posun, beginning the transition to the Second Republic of South Korea.
-Wikipedia
Photo Caption – Students march in protest against President Syngman Rhee on April 19, 1960 – Public Domain