Former Prime Minister Lee Hong-gu died on the 5th at age 92.
Born in 1934, the deceased attended Kyunggi High School, Seoul National University, Emory University in the United States, and Yale University. He then served for 20 years as a professor in the Department of Political Science at Seoul National University and held posts including head of the Korean Political Science Association and executive committee member of the International Political Science Association.
The deceased entered public service in 1988 during the Roh Tae-woo administration as Minister of the National Unification Board. He later served as the president's special political adviser and ambassador to the United Kingdom. Under the Kim Young-sam administration, he served as deputy prime minister and Minister of the National Unification Board before taking office in 1994 as the 28th prime minister.
In 1996, he joined as representative chair of the New Korea Party, and in the 15th general election he entered the National Assembly as a nationwide proportional representative. During the Kim Dae-jung administration, he served as ambassador to the United States and worked to help resolve the foreign exchange crisis early.
After returning to Korea in 2000, he moved between academia and politics. He served as chairman of the Seoul International Forum, adviser to the JoongAng Ilbo, chairman of the Yoomin Cultural Foundation, adviser to the Korea Volleyball Association, and board member of the Asan Foundation.
Survivors include his wife, Park Han-ok; son, Hyun-woo (EIG Asia head); daughters, So-young and Min-young (professor at Dongduk Women's University); daughter-in-law, Hwang Ji-young (chair of the Korean Women's Association in Hong Kong); and son-in-law, Lee Kang-ho (professor at the Korea National University of Arts).
The wake is at Room 20 of the funeral hall at Asan Medical Center in Seoul. Condolences are accepted after 3 p.m. on the 5th. The funeral service is at 8 a.m. on the 8th, and the burial site is Cheonan Public Cemetery.