Actress' donation rekindles controversy over former President Syngman Rhee

Actress Lee Young-ae speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Nov. 4, 2019. Yonhap

Actress Lee Young-ae's recent donation to commemorate Korea's first President Syngman Rhee (1875-1965) has sparked controversy over the former president.

In September, Lee donated 50 million won ($37,000) to the Syngman Rhee Memorial Foundation, which is currently conducting a fundraising campaign to build a memorial building for the former president.

In response to growing criticism over the act, the actress defended herself weeks later in a letter to a local journalist who had published an article criticizing her move and questioning her motivation for the donation.

"History should remember presidents' shortcomings, but it also should recognize their achievements. Doing so will make the country more united and make Korea a better place for the next generation," she wrote.

Lee also recognized that Rhee had helped build the foundations for democracy in South Korea. "If the South fell to the communist North, my children would be among the poorest and the most suppressed children in the world." She concluded the letter by expressing regret that her intentions were misunderstood.

Born in 1875, Rhee spent most of his younger days fighting for Korea's independence from Japan in the U.S. After liberation in 1945, he came back to Korea and was elected a lawmaker before becoming the nation's first president in 1948. The Korean War broke out in 1950 during his term. Rhee was forced out of office in 1960 after the April 19 Revolution, the pro-democracy uprising to protest the ruling party's election rigging. He left the country immediately and passed away in Hawaii in 1965.

Critics argue that he failed to bring justice to pro-Japanese Koreans during his terms, accusing him of actively involving them in his government. They also labeled him as corrupt and a dictator as he revised the Constitution, which enabled him to be in power for more than a decade. His supporters, however, give Rhee credit for ushering in liberal democracy to Korea and securing the Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S.

The actress said she believes unity, rather than ideological conflicts, will make Korea a mature democratic nation, adding that she has been making donations to organizations commemorating other former presidents.

The news of Lee's donation coincided with the government's recent move to challenge history involving independence fighters.

The government recently removed the statue of independence fighter Hong Beom-do (1868-1943) who fought for Korea's liberation in the Soviet Union from the Korean Military Academy. Hong received the honor only in 2021 when his remains returned to Korea ― former President Moon Jae-in flew to Kazakhstan in person to honor him.

However, the incumbent Yoon Suk Yeol administration took issue with Hong's involvement with the Soviet Communist Party and removed Hong's bust from the Korean Military Academy. Some historians expressed concerns that the Yoon government's recent move is aligned with the president's anti-communist stance, labeling people with communist connections as adversaries.