Syngman Rhee

Syngman Rhee or Lee, Seung-man (March 26, 1875 - July 19, 1965) was a Korean politician and the first president of South Korea. His rule, from March 1948 to April 1960, remains a matter of controversy, arising from Cold War tensions on the Korean peninsula and elsewhere. Rhee, a professed Christian, was identified strongly with the conservative, anti-Communist side in Korean politics and geopolitics, and led South Korea throughout the Korean War. His presidency ended in resignation following popular protests against a disputed election. He died in exile in Hawaii.

Legacy

Rhee's legacy has been under considerable dispute. While he may be easily considered as the founding father of South Korea, his administration of autocracy fueled by anti-communism was just as notorious as his reputation. In general, conservative circles regard Rhee as the patriarch of the nation, while liberals tend to be critical of him. This somewhat mixed assessment of Rhee's legacy is evident in the way he is addressed posthumously: instead of president, he is usually called with an honorific baksa(??) or doctor, a prefix with somewhat limited perspective considering Rhee's contribution as the first leader of South Korea. Interestingly, his once political rival, Kim Koo, is commonly called with an honorific seonsaeng(??) or sir, a title with a higher regard than doctor.

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Rhee's former residence in Seoul, Ihwajang, is currently used for the presidential memorial museum, and Woo-Nam Presidential Preservation Foundation has been set up to honour his legacy.

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