Lee Nam-cheol, governor of Goryeong County in North Gyeongsang, died on the 1st from a chronic illness. He was 65.
According to Goryeong County, the governor died around 1 a.m. that day. The governor had been on a 30-day sick leave since the 18th of last month for treatment of esophageal cancer and had been receiving care at a hospital in Seoul.
Born in Goryeong County, the governor worked at Goryeong County Office for 41 years from 1979, serving as Deputy Minister for Planning and Coordination, head of the general affairs division, and head of Daegaya-eup, among other posts. After leaving public office in 2019, he was elected Goryeong County governor in the 2022 local elections and won a second term in June.
During his tenure, he led efforts such as the inscription of the Daegaya Tumuli on the World Heritage List (Sept. 2023), the designation of the Daegaya ancient capital (Feb. 2025), and attracting investment totaling 1 trillion won, earning credit for laying the foundation for regional development.
He is survived by his wife, Lee Kyung-hwa, and their son, Seong-uk.
The mourning altar has been set up at the Goryeong Daegaya Funeral Hall. Visitors may pay respects from noon the same day, and the funeral procession will begin at 8 a.m. on the 3rd. The memorial service will be held at 8:30 a.m. the same day at Goryeong County Office.