Korean Dictionary
How to say "Syngman Rhee" in Korean
“Syngman Rhee” in Korean is 이승만 (pronounced "i seungman").
이승만
i seungman
Usage & Context
Syngman Rhee was South Korea's first president, serving from 1948 to 1960. He led Korea through the Korean War with strong US backing. He was forced to resign following the April Revolution student protests against his authoritarian rule.
Example Sentence
이승만은 대한민국 초대 대통령이에요.
Syngman Rhee is the first president of the Republic of Korea.
How to use 이승만 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Syngman Rhee” is 이승만, romanized as i seungman.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 이승만.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounce '이승만' as 'ee-seung-mahn'. '이' (i) sounds like 'ee' in 'see'. '승' (seung) is like 'sung' in 'sunglasses'. '만' (man) is like 'mahn' in 'man' (American pronunciation). The stress is fairly even across the syllables.
More Example Sentences
Learning about the founding of South Korea.
이승만 대통령은 대한민국 초대 대통령이었어요.
President Syngman Rhee was the first president of the Republic of Korea.
Discussing major historical events.
4.19 혁명으로 이승만 대통령이 하야했어요.
President Syngman Rhee resigned due to the April 19th Revolution.
Studying the Korean War period.
이승만 정부는 한국 전쟁을 겪으며 많은 어려움을 겪었어요.
The Syngman Rhee government faced many difficulties during the Korean War.
Cultural Context
Syngman Rhee, as South Korea's first president, holds a significant but also controversial place in history. He led the nation through its formative years and the Korean War, establishing the groundwork for the Republic of Korea. However, his later years were marked by increasing authoritarianism and electoral fraud, which ultimately led to the April Revolution (4.19 혁명) and his resignation. His legacy is often debated in terms of his role in nation-building versus his anti-democratic tendencies.
Editorial note
We review entries like 이승만 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
이승만 정부
Syngman Rhee government
이승만 시대
Syngman Rhee era
이승만 대통령의 공과
President Syngman Rhee's achievements and failures
Related Expressions
초대 대통령
chodae daetongnyeong
first president
대한민국 건국
Daehanminguk geonguk
founding of the Republic of Korea
4.19 혁명
Sa-ilgu Hyeokmyeong
April 19th Revolution
한국 전쟁
Hanguk Jeonjaeng
Korean War
More Korean History Words
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