Syngman Rhee

Syngman Rhee (1875-1965), president of South Korea (1948-60). Rhee was born on April 26, 1875, in Hwanghae Province, in present North Korea. He was educated in the United States at George Washington, Harvard, and Princeton universities.

In 1919, while his country was under Japanese rule, Rhee became president of a Korean government-in-exile based in Hawaii. In this position, which he held until 1941, he campaigned relentlessly for international recognition of Korean independence. In 1945, after the defeat of Japan in World War II and the liberation of Korea, he returned home and in 1948 was elected president of the Republic of Korea (South Korea).

As president, Rhee worked unsuccessfully for the reunification of South Korea with the Communist North. In 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea; war continued until an armistice was reached in 1953. Rhee was reelected in 1952, 1956, and 1960, during which time he instituted several reforms in education and in the ownership of land. His leadership became increasingly totalitarian, however, and as a result of alleged irregularities in his last election, violent mass demonstrations broke out, forcing Rhee to resign in 1960 and to leave the country. He lived in Hawaii until his death on July 19, 1965.