Seoul: Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan died on Sunday while on a business trip to Vietnam, officials confirmed. He was 73 years old.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee was serving as a senior vice president of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) at the time of his death. He passed away at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City at approximately 2:48 p.m. (local time) after suffering cardiac arrest. Lee had previously experienced flu-like symptoms before traveling to Vietnam on Thursday and was preparing to return to South Korea on Friday when his condition worsened.
He was taken to an emergency room on Friday due to shortness of breath while waiting for his return flight at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Lee reportedly suffered cardiac arrest during his transfer to the hospital and experienced another cardiac arrest at the hospital. Despite undergoing a stent insertion procedure, he did not survive.
The PUAC stated that Lee's bereaved family is currently in discussions with relevant authorities regarding the transport of his remains and funeral arrangements.
Lee was a prominent figure in South Korean politics, having served as a seven-term lawmaker and as prime minister from 2004 to 2006 under the Roh Moo-hyun administration. In October of the previous year, he was appointed as senior vice chairperson of the PUAC, with the intention of supporting the president's North Korea and unification policies.
Lee's political career was rooted in the pro-democracy movement during South Korea's military regimes, where he began as a student activist before entering politics. He was elected to the National Assembly in 1988 and later served as education minister under the Kim Dae-jung administration.
Known for his close ties with four progressive presidents-Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, Moon Jae-in, and President Lee Jae Myung-Lee earned the nickname "kingmaker" due to his influential role as a political ally and adviser. As education minister, he implemented significant reforms that became known as the "Lee Hae-chan Generation."
During his tenure as prime minister in the Roh Moo-hyun administration (2003-2008), Lee was regarded as one of the president's most trusted aides. He also played a crucial role in supporting Moon Jae-in's presidential campaigns in 2012 and 2017, eventually becoming the head of the ruling party in 2018, a year after Moon's election.
Lee's endorsement of President Lee Jae Myung ahead of the presidential election in June last year further cemented his legacy as a pivotal figure in South Korean politics.