Young Shik Rhee

Who was Young Shik Rhee?

Reverend Young Shik Rhee is the founder of Daegu University in Daegu, South Korea, a pioneer of special education in Korea and a Korean independence movement leader in Daegu, Korea.

In September 1919, Young Shik Rhee was imprisoned for 18 months in Daegu Prison by the Japanese colonial authorities for his leadership role in the March 1st Movement and other Korean Independence activities in Daegu. Torture by the Japanese police resulted in permanent hearing loss in one ear.

In 1926, Young Shik Rhee attended Kobe Theological Seminary in Kobe, Japan. As an ordained Christian minister, Reverend Young Shik Rhee presided as pastor of Daegu Seomoon Presbyterian Church from 1927 to 1936. Although popular as pastor and well known for his stirring sermons, Reverend Rhee later resigned from the church in order to minister to the less fortunate. He embarked on his lifelong journey of social work and ministry by serving as pastor at a leper treatment center in Daegu.

After the Korean independence from Japan in 1945, Young Shik Rhee expanded his social work by looking after orphans and handicapped children. In 1946, Young Shik Rhee founded the Daegu School for the Blind, the first special education school founded by a Korean.. When the devastating Korean War resulted in increased number of war-orphans and the handicapped, Reverend Rhee was among the few who were devoted to helping them. The orphanage housed many handicapped children—who were clothed, fed and taught skills that would help them eventually leave the orphanage and live independently. Reverend Rhee ministered to the children's spiritual and emotional needs, as well as raising funds, eliciting donations and recruiting volunteer teachers and doctors.