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His Excellency
Lee Wan-koo
이완구
39th Prime Minister of South Korea
In office
17 February 2015 – 27 April 2015
PresidentPark Geun-hye
Preceded byJung Hong-won
Succeeded byChoi Kyoung-hwan (acting)
Hwang Kyo-ahn
Member of the National Assembly
In office
25 April 2013 – 29 May 2016
Preceded byKim Geun-tae
Succeeded byChung Jin-suk
ConstituencyBuyeo–Cheongyang
In office
30 May 1996 – 29 May 2004
Preceded byCho Bu-young
Succeeded byKim Hak-won
ConstituencyCheongyang–Hongseong
Chairman of the Saenuri Party
Interim
In office
15 May 2014 – 13 July 2014
Preceded byHwang Woo-yea
Succeeded byKim Moo-sung
Governor of South Chungcheong Province
In office
1 July 2006 – 4 December 2009
Preceded bySim Dae-pyung
Succeeded byAhn Hee-jung
Personal details
Born(1950-07-16)16 July 1950
Cheongyang County, South Chungcheong Province, South Korea
Died14 October 2021(2021-10-14) (aged 71)
Political partySaenuri
Alma materSungkyunkwan University (BA)
Michigan State University (MA)
Dankook University (PhD)
Lee Wan-koo
Hangul
이완구
Hanja
李完九
Revised RomanizationI Wangu
McCune–ReischauerI Wanku

Lee Wan-koo (Korean: 이완구; Hanja: 李完九; 16 July 1950 – 14 October 2021) was a South Korean politician who briefly served as Prime Minister in 2015.

Biography

Lee was born in 1950 in Bibong-myeon [ko], Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province. After graduating from Sungkyunkwan University, Lee worked as a public officer in the Economic Planning Board (current Ministry of Strategy and Finance) and later moved to the National Police Agency.[1] From 1982 to 1984, he studied at Michigan State University in the United States and received an M. A. in Criminal Justice.[2] From 1986 to 1989, Lee served as Consul for the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles.[2][3]

In 1995, Lee entered into politics, joining the Democratic Liberal Party (later renamed as the New Korea Party). In the 1996 election, he was elected as a member of the National Assembly for the New Korea Party. In 1998, he joined the United Liberal Democrats, led by Kim Jong-pil.[1] In the 2006 election, he was elected as the governor of South Chungcheong Province. He resigned as governor on 23 December 2009, as a protest against the Lee Myung-bak government.[4]

Lee was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer.[4] After recovering, he was re-elected as a member of the National Assembly in a 2013 by-election. In May 2014, he became the floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party.[1]

Prime Minister of South Korea

On 23 January 2015, President Park Geun-hye named Lee, at the time parliamentary floor leader, as prime minister.[5] Lee was confirmed by the National Assembly as Prime Minister on 16 February 2015; the National Assembly voted with 148 Yes, 128 No, with 5 Abstained.[6]

On 20 April 2015, Lee offered to resign as Prime Minister, amid allegations of bribery.[7][8] He formally stepped down on 27 April 2015, apologizing over a scandal in which he was accused of taking an illegal cash gift from Sung Wan-jong, a businessman.[9] President Park Geun-hye accepted Lee's resignation.[9]

Conviction

In January 2016, he was convicted of taking illegal funds by the Seoul Central District Court.[10] However, in September 2016, he was acquitted by the Seoul High Court.[11] On 2017, the Supreme Court upheld the Seoul High Court's acquittal of Lee.[12]

Death

In 2016, Lee's cancer returned.[4] He died on 14 October 2021, due to multiple myeloma, at the age of 71. He died about two weeks before former President Roh Tae Woo died on October 26, 2021.[1][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "혈액암 투병해온 이완구 전 국무총리 별세". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 14 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b "2005 Honorees". cj.msu.edu. School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University. 2005. Retrieved 16 October 2021. Wan Koo Lee, MS, 84', ... Following his graduation from the School of Criminal Justice, he served as Consul for the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles,...
  3. ^ "PM-designate Lee Wan-koo: I'd give the President candid advice, work with opposition as partners". The Korea Post (in Korean). 26 January 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2021. Resume of Prime Minister-designate Lee Wan-koo
  4. ^ a b c d "(LEAD) Former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo dies at 71". Yonhap News Agency. 14 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  5. ^ "South Korean President Park names Lee Wan-koo prime minister". South China Morning Post. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  6. ^ "(LEAD) Parliament endorses PM nominee". Yonhap News Agency. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  7. ^ South Korea Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo offers to resign - CNN.com
  8. ^ The Associated Press (21 April 2015). "S. Korean PM to resign after 2 months amid bribe scandal". The Yomiuri Shimbun.
  9. ^ a b Choe Sang-hun (27 April 2015). "South Korea’s Premier Resigns After Claims He Took an Illegal Cash Gift". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  10. ^ Sang-Hun, Choe (29 January 2016). "Lee Wan-koo, Ex-Premier of South Korea, Guilty of Taking Illegal Funds". The New York Times.
  11. ^ Lee, Kyung-min (27 September 2016). "Ex-Prime Minister's conviction overturned". The Korea Times. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Top court upholds not guilty verdict for Liberty Korea Party leader in bribery trial". Yonhap News Agency. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
Political offices Preceded byJung Hong-won Prime Minister of South Korea 2015 Succeeded byChoi Kyoung-hwanacting
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