Shin Song-mo

Shin Song-mo or Shin Sung-mo (; October 20, 1891 – May 29, 1960) was a Korean independence activist and South Korean politician. He was an acting prime minister in 1950 following the first prime minister of South Korea, Lee Beom-seok. He served as a Defence Minister during the Korean War. After that, he served as the head of the Korea Youth Team and advisory committee of the Ministry of Transportation, in 1949 he served as the second Minister of Home Affairs . On March 21, 1949 he became the second Minister of Defense a position he held until May 5, 1951. Syngman Rhee preferred a person who spoke English well and Shin was said to be fluent in English while studying in London.

Upon returning, he is given the title Admiral. At the time, he served as the captain of a British merchant ship, advisor and director of an Indian merchant ship, but received military training in China and was adjutant to the Chinese Navy Admiral Sal Jinbing, the Korean Provisional Government's Korean Liberation Army Being a member of the military was recognized for his career, he was given the rank of lieutenant general of the Navy, and he was called Admiral Holy Mother.

On July 17, 1949, while as Minister of National Defense, he said, "The military is waiting for orders from the President, and with orders, it can completely take over Pyongyang or Wonsan within a day." When the remarks became a problem, he explained that his remarks were misunderstood, but in early September of that year, he insisted, "I just wait for the time to come and I'm ready to push."

As Lee Beom-seok resigned from his post as prime minister, Shin was inaugurated as acting prime minister on April 21, 1950, and worked until November 22.

Korean War Defense Minister Shin Song-mo with Deputy Minister of Defense , and Director Chung Il-kwon (from left), standing side by side at the Naval Headquarters after the 3rd Army Operation Agreement. Chung Il-kwon was shortly after being issued by the Commander-in-chief of the Army, Naval and Air Force. The Korean War broke out and in the beginning of the war, at the State Council meeting held at 4:00AM on June 27, 1950, Shin Song-mo who was Minister of Defense said that he had no knowledge of the situation.

He was a member of the Provisional Government Military Committee, but unlike Lee Beom-seok, Chi Ch'ŏngch'ŏn, Kim Hong-il and others, he had no experience in direct combat with the army as he was engaged in maritime vessel-related work, communication-related, and interpretation-related work before the repatriation. As a member of the State Council of the Republic of Korea, he showed a completely different attitude from his position to take care of the safety of the people. At the time of the Korean War, he served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

After the ceasefire From November 28, 1956, he served as the Dean of the Maritime University. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage at Uiryeong on May 29, 1960. After being buried in Seonyeong, Yongdeok-myeon, Uiryeong-gun, South Gyeongsang Province, his remains were later transferred to the Daejeon National Cemetery.