who is president republic of korea south
July 19, 1965. Honolulu, Hawaii. Syngman Rhee, (born March 26, 1875, PâyÅngsan, Hwanghae province, Korea [now in North Korea]âdied July 19, 1965, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.) first president of the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Rhee completed a traditional classical Confucian education and then entered a Methodist school, where he learned English.