born March 26, 1875, Whang-hae, Korea
died July 19, 1965, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
First president of the Republic of Korea (South Korea).
The first Korean to earn a Ph.D. at a U.S. university (Princeton), he returned to Korea in 1910, the year Japan annexed Korea. Unable to hide his hostility toward Japanese rule, he left again for the U.S. in 1912. For the next 30 years he spoke out for Korean independence; in 1919 he was elected president of a provisional government in exile. As the only Korean leader well known to the U.S., Rhee was returned to Korea ahead of his rivals at the end of World War II; he was elected president of the Republic of Korea in 1948. He held that post until 1960, when opposition to his authoritarian policies (which included outlawing the opposition Progressive Party) forced his resignation. He died in exile.