Profile Text
Birth Name: Rhee Syng-man
Date of Birth: 26 March, 1875
Place of Birth: Neungnae-dong, Daegyeong-ri, Masan-myeon, Pyongsan County, Hwanghae, Joseon (now North Korea)
Date of Death: July 19, 1965
Place of Death: Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Ethnicity: Korean
Syngman Rhee was a South Korean statesman. He was the first President of South Korea , from 24 July, 1948 to 27 April, 1960. He was also President of the Korean Provisional Government, from 11 September, 1919 to 23 March, 1925, President of the People’s Republic of Korea, from 6 September, 1945 to 19 February, 1946, Chairman of the State Council of the Korean Provisional Government, from 3 March, 1947 to 15 August, 1948, and Speaker of the National Assembly, from 31 May, 1948 to 24 July, 1948.
He was the son of Yi Gyeong-seon and Kim Gim-hae. He was married to Park Seungseon and Austrian-born Franziska (or Francesca in Italian) Maria Barbara Donner.
President Rhee’s paternal grandfather was Yi Chang-rok (the son of Yi Hwang and Lady Hong). Yi Hwang was the son of Yi Choe-gwon.
President Rhee’s paternal grandmother was named Lady Shin.
President Rhee’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced back to his fourth great-grandfather, Yi Jing-ha. However, Yi Jing-ha was the eighth great-grandson of Prince Yangnyeong, whose father, Taejong of Joseon, ruled as the King of Joseon, from November 28, 1400 to September 9, 1418. Taejong’s patrilineal ancestry can be further traced back to his 58th great-grandfather, Yi Alpyeong, who was the founder of the Gyeongju clan.
Source: Genealogy of Syngman Rhee (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com