Chang Myon (; August28, 1899June4, 1966) was a South Korean statesman, educator, diplomat, journalist and social activist as well as a Roman Catholic youth activist. He was the only prime minister of the parliamentary Second Republic. In addition, during the First Republic he was the fourth and last vice president of South Korea. His art name was Unseok (). His English name was John Chang Myon (baptismal name, surname, given name, respectively).
Under Japanese rule, Chang worked in education as a school teacher, administrator, and principal. In 1948, he led the delegation of the Republic of Korea to the UN General Assembly. In 1949, he became the first ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States. In 1950, he successfully appealed to the United States and the UN to send troops to assist in the Korean War. On November 23, 1950, he was appointed the second prime minister of the First Republic of Korea. From 1956 to 1960, he served as the fourth vice president of the First Republic of Korea.
When Syngman Rhee's government was ousted by the student-led pro-democracy uprising of April Revolution, he was elected the Prime Minister of the Second Republic in 1960. After the country adopted a parliamentary system in response to Rhee's abuse of presidential power, Chang became the head of government. Chang Myon's government ended when Park Chung Hee led a successful military coup on May 16, 1961, which marked the end of the Second Republic and the nation's brief only ever instance of using the parliamentary form of government.
Early life and education
Chang Myon was born in 1899 in Jeokseon-dong, Hansung. He was the first son of Chang Gi-bin and Lucia Hwang. His father was a revenue officer of the seaport of Incheon and later became superintendent of customs (Saeguanjiang) of the seaport of Busan.
In 1906, he began studying at Incheon Parkmun Primary School, and graduated in 1912. He then went to Incheon Public Simsang Elementary School, graduating in 1914. He later attended Suwon Agriculture High School, and he graduated on May 25, 1917. In March 1916, he married Kim Ok-yun. They had six sons and three daughters.
Studying in the United States
In September 1918, he was registered at the YMCA Village School, and from 1919–21 he taught at Yongsan Youth Catholic Theology School. He participated in the 1919 March 1 Movement protests against Japanese colonial rule, but escaped arrest.
In January 1921, Chang Myon went to the United States with his younger brother Chang Bal to study. They were sponsored by the Maryknoll Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America. In September 1921, he entered Manhattan College and in 1924 took a one-year leave of absence from the college due to acute appendicitis. In August 1921, he entered the Secular Franciscan Order. After graduating from Manhattan College in July 1925, he left for Italy on July 30 to attend the beatification of 79 Korean Joseon Catholic martyrs. He was also received by Pope Pius XI. That August he returned to Korea.
Early career
On December 2, 1925, he was appointed Maryknoll Center School's professor of the Korean language and translation. At the same time, he served as the leader of the laity for the Pyongyang archdiocese. On February 11, 1927, he formally entered the service of the Pyongyang Catholic church. He translated religious terms for Catholic teaching into the Korean language and published The Summary of Religious Terms in November 1929. In 1930, he published Way of the Seeker of Truth, and on September 15 he published An Outline of Joseon Catholic History.
On March 18, 1931, he resigned from the affairs of Pyongyang archdiocese and moved to Seoul. Appointed as a teacher at Dongsung Commerce High School on April 1, 1931, he took on the responsibility of teaching English and rhetorical subjects. On July 10th, along with Jeong Ji-yong, he published the first issue of Catholic Young Men's News. In 1935, he became Manager of Affairs for Dongsung Commerce High School. On April1, 1937, he became the lay leader of Hyehwa-dong Catholic Church and principal of Hyehwa Kindergarten. On November 19, 1936, he became principal of Dongsung Commerce High School. At the same time he took on the additional role of principal of Gyesong Elementary School in Jongro, Seoul, in April 1939. That September, he was appointed chairman of the Seoul Catholic Young Men's National Union. He translated James Gibbons' The Faith of Our Fathers: A Plain Exposition and Vindication of the Church Founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ into Korean on July 4, 1944.