Leader of the Democratic PartyIn office
25 August 2018 – 29 August 2020Preceded byChoo Mi-aeSucceeded byLee Nak-yeon32nd Prime Minister of South KoreaIn office
30 June 2004 – 15 March 2006PresidentRoh Moo-hyunPreceded byGoh KunSucceeded byHan Myeong-sookMember of the National AssemblyIn office
30 May 2012 – 29 May 2020Preceded byConstituency establishedSucceeded byHong Seong-guk, Gang Jun-hyeonConstituencySejongIn office
30 May 1996 – 29 May 2008Preceded byLee Hae-chanSucceeded byKim Hui-chulConstituencyGwanak B (Seoul)In office
30 May 1988 – 30 June 1995Preceded byYim Churl-soon, Kim Soo-hanSucceeded byLee Hae-chanConstituencyGwanak B (Seoul)38th Minister of EducationIn office
3 March 1998 – 24 May 1999PresidentKim Dae-jungPreceded byLee Myung-hyunSucceeded byKim Duk-choong Personal detailsBorn (1952-07-10) 10 July 1952 (age 71)
Jangpyeong, South Chungcheong, South KoreaPolitical partyDemocraticAlma materSeoul National UniversityWebsitewww.hopechan.kr

Korean name
Hangul	이해찬
Hanja	李海瓚
Revised Romanization	I Haechan
McCune–Reischauer	I Haech'an

Lee Hae-chan (Korean: 이해찬; born 10 July 1952) is a South Korean politician who served as Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea from 2018 to 2020. He also served as Prime Minister of South Korea from 2004 to 2006.^[1]

He served as Member of the National Assembly for the Gwanak District from 1988 to 1995 and 1996 to 2008. He served as Minister of Education under President Kim Dae-jung from 1998 to 1999. He presided over controversial education reforms including revamping the college entrance process and lowering the retirement age of teachers. He later served under President Roh Moo-hyun as Prime Minister of South Korea from July 2004 to March 2006.

On 27 August 2018, he was elected the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Political career

Minister for Education

Hae-chan instituted reforms to the college admissions process. At the time was summed up in the slogan that being good at one thing was enough to get into college, was criticised for allegedly lowering dramatically the scholastic competence of the so-called "Lee Hae-chan generation" of then-high school students.

Prime Minister of South Korea

He was nominated by President Roh Moo-hyun to become Prime Minister of South Korea on 28 July 2004, confirmed by the National Assembly on 29 July, and took office on 30 July.

His nomination as prime minister met some resistance due to his record as minister of education, which many consider a failure. Since taking office, however, Lee has proved an able prime minister, being described by some as the most powerful prime minister South Korea has seen.

Golf-game scandal

On 1 March 2006, the Korean Railroad Workers Union and Seoul Subway Union entered a strike together. The strike of railroad and subway at the same time proved to be a fatal blow at the nation's economic activity, especially Seoul area, where traffic heavily depend on subway, which is controlled by these two unions. Prime Minister Lee was supposed to command the situation and mediate the strike; however, he was playing golf at Busan area with local businessmen, and this caused massive distaste among Korean people against Lee for not taking care of the government and people.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Politics of South Korea
• Roh Moo-hyun

References

National Assembly of the Republic of Korea
Preceded by Yim Churl-soon Kim Soo-han	Member of the National Assembly from Gwanak B, Seoul 1988–2008	Succeeded by Kim Hui-chul
New constituency	Member of the National Assembly from Sejong 2012–2020	Succeeded by Hong Seong-guk Gang Jun-hyeon
Political offices
Preceded by Lee Myung-hyun	Minister of Education 1998–1999	Succeeded by Kim Duk-choong
Preceded by Goh Kun	Prime Minister of South Korea 2004–2006	Succeeded by Han Myung-Sook
Party political offices
Preceded by Choo Mi-ae	Leader of the Democratic Party 2018–2020	Succeeded by Lee Nak-yon