Syngman Rhee

Birth Name: Yi Seungman

Date of Birth: April 18, 1875

Place of Birth: Neungnae-dong, Daegyeong-ri, Masan-myeon, Pyeongsan County, Hwanghae Province, 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 served as the first President of South Korea, from July 24, 1948 to April 26, 1960, his resignation. He also served as the President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Exile, from September 11, 1919 to March 21, 1925.

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