Birth and Early Childhood

 Dr. Rhee was born in Taegu, Korea on April 16, 1929 as the first son of the Late Rev. Young Shik Rhee. His father was the founder of a church in Chilgok village of Leprosarium.  Below is the picture of Dr. Rhee at the middle taken along with the Chilgok village residents.

Dr. Rhee with residents of Chilgok Leprosarium

His father Rev. Rhee moved to Manchuria during Japanese colonization to establish a church for the Korean residents of Manchuria.  Dr. Rhee went to elementary school there.  His family moved back to Taegu, Korea and he finished high school at Kyeung Buk high school.  Upon graduation Dr. Rhee went to Japan  and attended a college in Tokyo.

Education and Career

Education

1948

Graduated from Kyungbuk Boys'High School

1953

Graduated from Tokyo Institute of Technology,

1971

Honored with the degree of HL. D. by Manahath Theological Seminary.

1982

Honored with the degree of HE. D. by California Theological Seminary.

Positions Held

1955-1961

Served as Principal of Taegu School for the Blind and the Deaf; Superintendent of Korean Social Work Institute.

1961-1982

President of Korean College of Social Work.

1982-1994

President of Taegu University.

1983-1994

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ae-Kwang School Foundation (Kyungbuk Junior College)

Schools Founded

1956

Taegu University

1981

Taegu Future College

1966

Taegu Bomyung School for the Mentally Retarded Students

1966

Taegu Bogun School for the Physically Disabled Students

1982

Taegu Dukhi School for the Emotionally Disturbed Students

1983

Kyungbuk Young Gwang School for the Mentally Retarded Students

Career

1955

Represented Korea at the First Asia Blind Welfare Conference held in Tokyo, Japan.

1956-1957

Served as Vice Principal of Taegu School for the Blind.

1956-1971

Served as Director of Taegu Lighthouse for the Blind and Deaf.

1957-1961

Held the office of dean of Korea Social Work College (later becoming the present Taegu University),

1959-1966

Served as the principal of Taegu School for the Blind.

1961-1982

Held the office of the president of Korea Social work College.

1962

Elected chairman of the sub-committee for the physically handicapped of the Kyungbuk Provincial Social Work Council.

1963-1979

Served as a counselor for the Taegu Family Affairs District Court.

1965

Represented Korea at the 3rd Pan-Pacific Rehabilitation Conference held in Tokyo, Japan.

1965-1995

Successfully filled the post of standing director of the Korea National Special Education Council (concurrently served as chairman of the Council for two years),

1966-1982

Served as the chair of Kyungbuk Provincial B.B.S. Federation for the Less Blessed Children and Youth (concurrently filled the position of vice president of the nationwide federation),

1967

Served as an advisor to Kyungbuk Provincial Branch of the Korea International Human Rights Association.

1968-1970

Appointed chair of the Kyungbuk Provincial Children's Welfare Committee (Governor's Advisory Organization).

1968

Elected a trustee of the Korea Mentally Retarded Children Protection Board.

1969

Elected a member of the Board that endowed Korea Rehabilitation Association.

1971

Commissioned as a director on Taegu Family Welfare Board.

1971

Took part in the 1st Pan-Pacific Special Educators Conference held in Hawaii in Feb., representing Korea.

1971

Commissioned as member of the Curriculum Assessment Committee for the mentally retarded by the Ministry of Education.

1971

Accepted the request of the government to be a member of the organization committee of the Korean National Red Cross.

1972

Elected a member of the board of trustees of the Taegu Family Welfare Foundation.

1973

Inaugurated as Dean of the Hansa Graduate School,

1974-1978

Concurrently served as the President of Hansa Junior College affiliated to Hansa University.

1974

Appointed to be on the Scholarship Committee of the Kyungbuk Provincial Education Board.

1976

Commissioned as a member of steering committee of the Korean Girl Scout Supporters Association.

1976

Represented Korea at the 15th Southeast Asian Lions Club Conference held in Manila.

1977

Elected Vice Chairman of the Construction Organization of the Memorial Tower to the Fallen Korean Youths in Saipan & Tinian Islands in World War II.

1978

Elected a member of the board of trustees of Kyungbuk Provincial Branch of the Korean National Red Cross.

1978

Commissioned as the Committee Chairman of Social Welfare Advisory Group to Taegu Municipal Government.

1980

Represented Korea at the International Conference of the Pacific Cultural Foundation of the People's Republic of China as a representative of the Special Education Division.

1980

Elected chairman of the Supporting Association for Dr. Young Woo Kang.

1980

Commissioned as the Chairman of Kyungbuk Provincial Branch of the Korea Social Purification Association.

1980

Served as a member of the Youth Guidance Committee of the Taegu District Prosecutor's Office.

1981

Commissioned as a member of the Korean Committee for the Year of the Disabled.

1981

Appointed by the Education Minister as the Chairman of the Special Education Advisory Committee,

1981

Elected to the Taegu Municipal Youth Guidance Committee.

1981

Elected Chief Vice-President of the Korea-Japan Friendship Association.

1981

Appointed as a director of the Taegu Protectional Rehabilitation Board of the Korean Ministry of Justice.

1981

Inaugurated as the First President of Taegu University,

1982

Elected auditor of the Korean Advanced Education Council.

1982

Elected chair of the Taegu B.B,S. Association.

1982

Commissioned as an adviser to the Taegu Branch of the Korean Senior Citizens Association.

1983

Elected Chair of the Board of Trustees, the Ae-Kwang School Foundation (Kyungbuk Junior College).

1983

Elected as an adviser to the Preparation Council of the I 00th Anniversary of Christian Missionary Work in Korea,

1983

Elected Chair of the Young-Kwang School Foundation Board of Trustees (Young-Kwang School for the Handicapped).

1984

Elected as a member of the Organization Committee of the 1988 Paralympic.

1984

Elected as a steering committee member of the Taegu Welfare Center for the Handicapped.

1984

Elected Chair of the Social Welfare Foundation of the Life Emergency Telephone Calls.

1984

Elected Chair of the Taegu Association of Supporters for Family Welfare.

1984

Elected President of Taegu Chapter of the Korean Association of Family Law Counselors.

1985

Commissioned as the chair of the National Moral Promotion Organization.

1985

Elected to the Board of Directors of the Korean Social Welfare Society.

1985

Honored with the Honorary Chairmanship of the World Life Welfare Society of Japan.

1986

Appointed as a member of the Advisory Group to the 20th International Peace Festival.

1986

Elected as an adviser to the Korean Maritime Boy Scout Federation.

1986

Elected as an adviser to the Korean Christian Cultural Missionary Group.

1986

Commissioned as an organization member of the 20th Korean National Athletic Meet of the Handicapped.

1986

Elected Vice President of the Korea Rehabilitation Society for the Handicapped.

1987

Elected as an adviser to the National Association for the Handicapped College Students.

  Publications

Books

1.

Introduction to the Special Education. Jipmun Printing, Taegu. 1963.

2.

The History of Social Work. Taegu University Press. Taegu. 1965.

3.

Principles of Special Education. Taegu University Press. Taegu. 1973.

4.

Special Education. Hyungseul Printing. Seoul. 1975.

5.

Education of Mentally Retarded Children. Hyungseul Printing. Seoul. 1976.

6.

Guidance to the Education of the Mentally Retarded( I ). Hyungseul Printing. Seoul. 1976,

7.

Guidance to the Education of the Mentally Retarded( 1), Hyungseul Printing. Seoul, 1976.

8.

Psychology of the Mentally Retarded. Hyungseul Printing. Seoul, 1976.

9.

Philosophy of the Special Education, Taegu University Press. Taegu. 1980.

10.

Psychology of Disabled Children. Taegu University Press. Taegu. 1983.

11.

Social Welfare and Special Education. Taegu University Press. Taegu. 1984.

12.

Love, Light and Freedom to Every Soul. Taegu University Press, Taegu. 1985.

13.

Key to Self Creation: How to Realize Your Dream. Taegu University Press. Taegu. 1986.

Articles

1.

On the Hearing Impediment of School-Age Children in Korea.  The Collection of Papers Read at the 9th Japanese Special Education conference. 1971.

2.

A Review on the welfare of the Handicapped.  Special Education.

3.

The Relief Efforts for the Famine Victims in the Yi Dynasty Research.  Japan Musashino University Journal. July, 1976.

4.

The Farmers' Status and Relief Policy for the Famine Victims in the Yi Dynasty.  Freshwater Association.  October, 1978.

5.

The Disabled and Their Rights to Welfare.  Ahsan Quarterly, April, 1981.

6.

Special Education:  Today and Tomorrow.  New Education.  No.321, July. 1981.

7.

Tasks of Special Education in Korea.  New Education. No.321. July, 1981.

8.

On the Improvement of Special Education in Korea.  Rehabilitation. Vol, 14 No.10. October, 1982.

Testimonials, Decorations & Citations Received

1962

Letter of Appreciation from the Mayor of Taegu City.

1975

Letter of Thanks from the Chairman of the Tokyo International Special Educators Conference for the Deaf.

1976

Letter of Commendation from the President of the Japanese Society for Good Behavior.

1977

The Kyung-Hwa Prize.

1978

The Presidential Citation (Serial No. 46841).

1981

The Dong-Beak Flower National Decoration (Serial No. 1823),

1981

The Korean National Red Cross Decoration (Serial No.790).

1981

The Taegu City Cultural Award(Serial No. 2 in the Educational Division)

1982

'82 World Philanthropist Award (Oklahoma State Counselor Association).

1984

The Grand Prize for the Welfare of the Mentally Retarded. Association of the Mentally Retarded of Taegu.

1985

The Plaque of Thanks from the Chairman of the Korea Special Education Association,

1986

Letter of Commendation from the Minister of Education.

1987

Certificate of Commendation from the President of the Republic of Korea (Serial No, 68279).

1987

Testimonial of Meritorious Achievement from the US, Council for Handicapped Children.

1987

Plaque of Appreciation from the Chairman of the Korea Independence Movement Memorial Association.

1987

Citation of Meritorious Achievements from the Minister of Education,

1987

Grand Decoration for the Youth Guidance from the Korean Government,

1988

Letter of Appreciation from the Chairman of the Organization Committee of the 1st Korean National Art Festival for the Handicapped.

1988

Commemorative Medal for the Paralympic from the Korean Minister of Health & Social Affairs (Serial No. 67).

1996

The Mu-Gung-Hwa Flower National Decoration (Serial No. 555),