Sin Ik-hui

Sin Ik-hui (9 June 1894 – 5 May 1956) was a Korean independence activist and politician. He was Speaker of the National Assembly during President Syngman Rhee's first term (4 August 1948 and 30 May 1950) and second term (19 June 1950 and 30 May 1954).

His nickname was Haegong or Haehu  and his courtesy name was Yeogu. He also went by the name Patrick Henry Shinicky in English-language publications.

Early life
Sin was born in Samaru country in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. He was a descendant of Sin Rip, Sin Kyung-hee, and Sin Saimdang.

He became an orphan and his second elder half-brother Sin Kyu-hee nurtured him. In his early years, he studied abroad in Japan.

Political career
In April 1919, he went into exile to Shanghai, China to join the Korean Provisional Government (KPG).

He was involved in the creation of the National Assembly of the KPG and was elected one of its congressmen. On 23 April 1919, he was appointed Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In August 1919, Sin became Vice Minister of Justice and then Minister of Justice in the following month. In September 1920, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1930s he worked as an English professor at a Chinese University.

In May 1940, he was appointed to Provisional Government of Korea, and in 1944 he was reappointed to Interior Minister to the Provisional Government.

In May 1948, he was elected Congressman of South Korean National Assembly. On 4 August 1948 he was 2nd term head of First Republic and 19 June 1950, he again was Speaker until 30 May 1954.

In 1955, he was involved with the founding of the Democratic Party and was later elected its fourth leader. In 1956, he ran for president.

Death
On 5 May 1956, Sin died of heart failure shortly before he began campaigning for president. He had boarded a train to Seoul with John Chang after the candidate registration period had closed. But minutes after taking his seat, he became violently ill and rushed to the toilet, and died shortly afterwards.