Global Korea, Creative Leadership

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Lee Myung-bak
— An Icon of Global Korea, Creative Leadership —

Before becoming the President of the Republic of Korea,

Lee Myung-bak was a prominent businessman from
Hyundai, an imaginative politician in the National
Assembly of Korea and a successful mayor of Seoul.
His illustrious career, along with the story of his rise from
humble beginnings, has been a source of inspiration for
many young people in Korea.
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Born in 1941 to a poor family from Pohang, a port city in

southeastern Korea, the young Lee had to earn his way
through high school and college. He had to get up early in
the morning everyday, collecting trash and sweeping the
streets before school hours to pay for his tuition. To this day,
he has kept his habit of waking up early and starts his day
before 5 o’clock.

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1. D
 espite abject poverty, Lee Myung-bak was determined to continue his studies by working during the day and
studying at night. Here he is shown when he attended Pohang Middle School (left) and night classes at Dongji
Commercial High School (right).
2. While serving as the president of the student body of the College of Business Administration at Korea University,
Lee Myung-bak showed keen interest in practical social issues. Here, he is standing trial on a charge of leading
demonstrations in protest against the normalization talks with Japan in 1964.
3. Posing with friends on the campus at Korea University (second from the right).
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After joining Hyundai Construction in 1965 as a fresh

recruit, his first achievements included construction of the
Pattani-Narathiwat Highway in Thailand and the Seoul-
Busan Highway in Korea, both of which later became
the backbone of economic development. Lee also led the
building of the Arabian Repair Shipyard and the Jubail
Industrial Port (both in Iraq) as well as Malaysia’s Penang
Bridge, the second longest in the world at that time. He also
led Hyundai’s drive to modernize Korea’s housing style by
planning and building modern apartment complexes.
In recognition, Lee became CEO of Hyundai in just 12 years.

1. L ee Myung-bak joined Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company in 1965. Serving as a director
in his 20s, president in his 30s and chairman in his 40s, he established the company as one of the leading
global businesses. Here, he is standing with Chung Ju-yung, the late chairman of the Hyundai Group,
at a team-building workshop for new employees of Hyundai Engineering and Construction in 1981.
2. A  t a construction site of Hyundai Engineering and Construction.
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As CEO of Hyundai Construction, Lee oversaw the process

of its automobile business, heavy industry and shipbuilding
units developing into Hyundai Motors, Hyundai Heavy
Industry and Hyundai Shipbuilding, respectively.
Lee held CEO positions at ten different Hyundai affiliates,
including Hyundai Engineering and Incheon Steel before
leaving Hyundai in 1992.
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1. L ee Myung-bak was always on the scene where work was taking place and thinking
about how to do the job better. Here he is inspecting a construction site.
2. L ee Myung-bak standing with the former Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad of
Malaysia at the construction site of the Penang Bridge.
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After leaving Hyundai, he was elected as a member

of the National Assembly for two consecutive terms
before becoming Mayor of Seoul in 2002. Restoration of
Cheonggyecheon, one of his most notable achievements
while serving as mayor, brought back a 6.5 km stream that
had remained covered with concrete for 40 years.
The restored stream revived the ecosystem and enlivened
the city center.

1 3 1. F or 40 years, Cheonggyecheon stream in Seoul was buried under a cover of concrete pavement and the area
quickly dilapidated. Upon his inauguration as mayor of Seoul in 2002, Lee Myung-bak launched a massive
2 environmental project to restore the stream. Mayor Lee inspecting the reconstruction site.
2. A  night scene of the new Cheonggyecheon.
3. L ee Myung-bak against the backdrop of a waterfall in the new Cheonggyecheon, which was restored in 2006.
12—
13 More than 30 million people visit Cheonggyecheon yearly.
It was an audacious task as Lee had to take out an eight-lane
paved road that covered Cheonggyecheon and raze a 5.8 km-
long overpass, which had a daily capacity of over 270,000
vehicles. Moreover, the project faced harsh opposition from
interest groups of all kinds who had been making their living
on and around the paved area.
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Lee successfully set out to forge a consensus with 220,000

business owners, residents, and street vendors by conducting
more than 4,000 dialogue sessions, leaving a remarkable
model for conflict resolution in sustainable urban
development. This effort was recognized by the 2005 Venice
Biennale 9th International Architecture Exhibition, which
gave the project The Best Public Administration Award.
Also, TIME magazine named Lee Myung-bak one of their
Heroes of the Environment 2007. Under Lee’s watch, the city
of Seoul excelled in e-governing and was ranked first in
the world consecutively in 2003 and 2005 in the UN Global
e-Government Survey which is released biennially.
He helped export the system and know-how to Moscow,
Hanoi, and Ulaanbaatar.

1. M
 ayor Lee in front of Seoul City Hall draped with national flags to celebrate Korea’s 60th Liberation Day.
2. M
 ixing with college students at Seoul’s Sangam World Cup Stadium.
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In 2007, Lee won the nomination as the presidential

candidate of the Grand National Party. He promised to
usher in an era of pragmatism. As outlined in his inaugural
speech, his vision of a Great Korea is “a nation where the
government serves its people with devotion, a nation where
the economy is robust and the weak and the marginalized
are taken care of… a nation where the best and brightest are
fostered and welcomed by the rest of the world and which
attracts the world’s best and brightest to come and work.”
1 3

2 1-2. T
 he President likes to meet with ordinary citizens where they work. He recently visited a traditional market.
3. A
 cting as a referee at a Children’s Day soccer match.
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He also promised that Korea would pursue global

diplomacy commensurate with its stature so as to
contribute to peace and stability around the world.
The Korean people responded.
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On December 19, 2007, he won the 17th presidential election

and was sworn in on February 25, 2008. In the presidential
election, Lee won by a wide margin in all categories
– region, age group and income level – and the difference
in the number of votes with the runner-up was 5.32 million,
representing 22.5 percent of the total ballots cast.
Coincidentally, December 19 happens to be his birthday as
well as his wedding anniversary.
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Lee
Myung
bak
Born on December 19, 1941.
Married to Kim Yoon-ok.
They have one son and three daughters.
Professional
2007, Dec. E  lected President of the Republic of Korea
in the 17th presidential election
2002, June Mayor of Seoul
2001 Commissioner, Subcommittee on Future
Competitiveness, National Reform
Committee, Grand National Party
1992, Sept. Assemblyman in the 14th & 15th National
Assemblies
1977-92 CEO of ten different affiliated companies
of the Hyundai Group (including Hyundai
Construction, Hyundai Engineering and
Incheon Steel)
Education
1999  isiting Scholar, George Washington
V
University, Washington D.C., USA
1998 Honorary Doctor of Physical Science, Korea
National University of Physical Education,
Seoul, Korea
1965 B.A. in Business Administration, Korea
University, Seoul, Korea
Other Professional Activities
Economic Activities
1989 Deputy Chairman of Korea-USSR 1999 Selected as one of the 30 Business Leaders in
Economic Association
1983 Vice President of Korea Management
Association
1982-92 Deputy Chairman of Korea Chamber Publications
of Commerce
Diplomatic Activities
2000~ Economic Advisor to Hun Sen, Prime
Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia
1992~ Honorary Ambassador of
Arkansas State, USA
1991 Chairman of North East Asia Economic
Committee
1986-99 Honorary Consul General of the Kingdom
of Bhutan to Korea
Social Activities
2001~ Advisor to the Overseas Korean Traders
Association (OKTA)
2000-2 President of Asia-Pacific Environmental
Non-Governmental Organization in Korea
1994~ Founder & Chairman of the East Asia
Foundation
1993 Chairman of the World Federation of
Korean Associations of Commerce
Sports Activities
1984 Bureau Member of FINA (La Fédération
Internationale de Natation)
1982-92 Executive Member of the Korean
Olympic Commitee
Awards & Decorations
2005 Personality of the Year 2005 awarded by
fDi Magazine, affiliate of the Financial Times
Korea in the 20th Century by Maeil Economic
Daily & the Federation of Korean Industries
2007 My Mother
2007 Unwavering Promise
2005 Cheonggyecheon Flows to the Future
1995 There Is No Such Thing as a Myth