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]