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| President of South Korea (Lee Myung-bak) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lee Myung-bak |
| Native name | 이명박 |
| Office | President of South Korea |
| Term start | 25 February 2008 |
| Term end | 24 February 2013 |
| Predecessor | Roh Moo-hyun |
| Successor | Park Geun-hye |
| Birth date | 19 December 1941 |
| Birth place | Osaka, Japan |
| Alma mater | Korea University |
| Party | Grand National Party |
President of South Korea (Lee Myung-bak)
Lee Myung-bak served as President of South Korea from 2008 to 2013, after careers at Hyundai Engineering and Construction and as Mayor of Seoul. His presidency intersected with regional actors such as United States, China, and Japan and with domestic figures including predecessors Roh Moo-hyun and successors Park Geun-hye. Lee's tenure featured economic strategies often labeled "MB Nomics", major infrastructure and urban projects, and heightened tensions and negotiations with Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Lee Myung-bak was born in Osaka during the Japanese rule of Korea era and relocated to Korea after World War II. He studied at Korea University and rose through the ranks at Hyundai Engineering and Construction under founder Chung Ju-yung, becoming known for construction projects tied to industrialization and infrastructure expansion. Lee later entered politics with the Democratic Justice Party lineage and served in the National Assembly (South Korea) before winning the mayoralty of Seoul in 2002, succeeding Goh Kun.
Lee secured the GNP nomination amid contests with figures like Park Geun-hye and Lee Hoi-chang, positioning himself against policies associated with Roh Moo-hyun. The campaign emphasized ties to Hyundai, promises of revitalizing manufacturing and exports, and commitments to public safety following incidents such as Mad Cow disease protests and concerns that mobilized civil society groups. Lee's electoral strategy engaged with mass media outlets including KBS, MBC, and SBS and relied on support from conservative organizations and business circles.
Lee assumed office on 25 February 2008, inheriting policy legacies from Roh Moo-hyun and entering an international environment shaped by the Global financial crisis of 2008–2009. Early interactions included meetings with leaders like George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Hu Jintao, and Shinzo Abe delegation-level contacts. His administration navigated multilateral forums including APEC, ASEAN Regional Forum, and Six-Party Talks' aftermath. Domestic transitions involved cabinet appointments from institutions such as the Ministry of Strategy and Finance (South Korea), Ministry of National Defense (South Korea), and Ministry of Unification (South Korea).
Lee's domestic agenda prioritized urban renewal projects reminiscent of his Seoul mayoralty, including initiatives affecting Han River development and Cheonggyecheon-era legacies. Reforms targeted regulatory environments impacting corporations like Samsung, LG and Kia Motors and sought changes in labor relations involving organizations such as the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. Public safety responses touched on crises like the Sewol ferry precursors in maritime policy debates, and social policy engaged NGOs, religious groups including the Catholic Church in South Korea and Presbyterian Church of Korea, and civic movements active since the June Struggle era.
Economists and commentators coined "MB Nomics" to describe Lee's mix of stimulus measures, deregulation, and infrastructure-led growth modeled after his tenure at Hyundai. Key elements included fiscal stimulus during the Global financial crisis of 2008–2009, incentives for conglomerates often termed chaebol such as Hyundai Motor Company and POSCO, and large-scale projects like the Four Major Rivers Project. Policies intersected with institutions like the Bank of Korea, Korea Exchange, and international bodies including the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Supporters cited export performance tied to markets in United States, China, European Union, and Southeast Asia, while critics warned of environmental costs and concentration of wealth within chaebol governance structures.
Lee's foreign policy emphasized a tougher stance toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea compared with the Sunshine Policy of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, linking aid and engagement to denuclearization and transparency. Notable events included responses to the 2009 North Korean nuclear test, maritime clashes near the Northern Limit Line, and negotiations framed by the Six-Party Talks with participants United States, China, Japan, Russia, and the DPRK. Lee pursued strengthened ties with the United States, including defense cooperation under the Korea–United States Free Trade Agreement context, while managing complex relations with China over trade and regional security and with Japan over historical issues and the Dokdo/Takeshima dispute.
Lee's administration and post-presidential period involved multiple controversies including debates over the Four Major Rivers Project, alleged media influence via channels like Chosun Ilbo, and connections to business figures from Hyundai. Following his presidency, Lee faced investigations and prosecutions involving allegations of bribery, embezzlement, and breach of trust tied to entities including DAS and corporate executives. Legal proceedings engaged the Supreme Court of South Korea, prosecutors from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of the Republic of Korea, and resulted in convictions, imprisonment, and appeals that sparked commentary from political parties such as the New Politics Alliance for Democracy and conservative successors. These cases contributed to broader debates about accountability, the role of chaebol in politics, and judicial processes involving former heads of state like Park Geun-hye and Lee Kun-hee.