Shin Hyun-hwak

Shin Hyun-hwak (; 29 October 1920 – 26 April 2007) was a South Korean politician who served as the prime minister of South Korea from 1979 to 1980. He was a member of the Democratic Republican Party.

Early life and career Shin was born in Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang Province on 29 October 1920. He studied at Daegu High School and graduated in law from Gyeongseong Imperial University in 1943, entering a career as a public official Following the assassination of Park Chung Hee, Prime Minister Choi Kyu-hah became acting President of South Korea. On 13 December 1979, Shin 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 Following the coup, Choi Kyu-hah repealed a decree banning criticism of the constitution, as well as releasing dissidents from prison.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, Shin was deposed on 21 May 1980,

Later life Shin remained on the National Advisory Council from 1981 to 1988. In 1986, he gained a position at Samsung C&T Corporation, becoming chairman in 1987. He died on 26 April 2007, at Seoul National University Hospital, after having been in the hospital since February 2006 due to a backbone fracture.