Syngman Rhee

Syngman Rhee became the first president of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) after U.S.-supervised elections. His government was recognized by the UN as the legitimate government of Korea, while the North established a separate communist regime, formalizing the division.

North Korean forces invaded South Korea, triggering the Korean War. Syngman Rhee's government fled to Busan as UN forces intervened. The war lasted three years, resulted in millions of casualties, and ended in an armistice, leaving Korea divided along the 38th parallel.

Syngman Rhee signed the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, establishing a military alliance. The treaty committed the US to defend South Korea in case of attack and allowed US troops to remain stationed in the country, shaping security dynamics for decades.

Massive student-led protests erupted against Syngman Rhee's authoritarian rule and election rigging. The April Revolution forced Rhee to resign and flee to Hawaii, ending his 12-year presidency and leading to a brief democratic interlude before Park Chung-hee's coup.