Yi Cheol-seung
Lee Chul-seung (or Yi Cheol-seung, Lee Chul-sung or Lee Chul Sung) (Hangul:이철승, Hanja:李哲承; May 15, 1922 – February 27, 2016) was a South Korean 7-term National *emblyman (lawmaker, conservative) and a founding father of the Republic of Korea after the Korean War (1950–1953). A political heavyweight, Lee was an independence and democracy fighter and leader; anti-communism; anti-military rule; anti-*anese rule; an advocate of bipartisanship particularly when it came to national security; and an advocate of non-governmental organizations. After Korea was liberated from *anese colonial rule in 1945, Lee "led a student union that opposed a trusteeship, under which Korea would be governed by foreign powers after World War II, and entered politics in 1954 after winning a parliamentary seat." Lee and his two political rivals former President Kim Young-sam and former President Kim Dae-jung were famous for their political compe*ion and the establishment and development of democracy in South Korea. He was given an honorable burial for his life contributions at the Seoul National Cemetery on March 2, 2016 where former South Korean presidents are also buried.
Contents
- 1 Early life and education
- 2 Political Career
- 2.1 Independence Activist
- 2.2 National *embly
- 2.2.1 Political Exile
- 2.2.2 Political Comeback
- 2.3 Post-Political Career and Civil Society Leadership
- 3 Death
- 4 Awards
- 5 Publications
- 6 See also
- 7 References
- 8 External links
Early life and education
- 1949 – B.A. in Political Science, Korea University
- 1962 – Studied at the Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania in International Relations
- 1995 – Honorary Doctor in Literature from Woosuk University
- 1998 – Honorary Doctor in Political Science from Korea University
Political Career
Independence Activist
1946
- Chairman, Central Committee, Anti-Trustee Students *embly
- Chairman, Central Committee, National Students *embly
National *embly
1954
- Member, The 3rd National *embly(Jeonju, Independent)
1958~1961
- Member, The 4th National *embly(Jeonju, Democratic Party)
- The 5th National *embly(Jeonju, Democratic Party)
1961
- Korean Delegate to the 15th U.N. General *embly
- Chairman, Korea Sports Council
- President, Korea Weightlifting Federation
1966
- Chairman, Asia Weightlifting Federation
1969
- Chairman, Asia Weightlifting Federation
1971~1973
- Member, The 8th National *embly(Jeonju, New Democratic Party)
- Chairman, Korean Policy Research Ins*ute
1973
- Member, The 9th National *embly(Jeonju, New Democratic Party)
- Vice Speaker of the National *embly
1975
- Korean Delegate to the 30th U.N. General *embly
1976
- Representative Supreme Member, New Democratic Party
1978
- Member, The 10th National *embly(Jeonju, Wanju, New Democratic Party)
1984~
- President, Council for Commemorative Projects for Korea's Anti-trusteeship & Anti-communism Student's Movement
1985
- Member, The 12th National *embly(Jeonju, New Democratic Party)
1987
- 자유민주총연맹 총재
Political Exile
On May 16, 1961, Park Chung-hee, Kim Jong-pil, and Lee Nak-sun successfully staged a military coup d'etat. Immediately after, Park Chung-hee sent aides to try and win over key opposition lawmakers including Lee who rejected Park's request for help. Lee was forced to leave politics and went to the United States where he was vocally opposed to the military coup in Korea and studied Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania.
(This article needs more details about his political exile, his "man without a p*port" status, and his asylum in the U.S.)
Political Comeback
(This article needs more details about his political comeback)
Post-Political Career and Civil Society Leadership
1990
- Director, The Seoul Peace Prize
- Member, The Seoul Peace Prize Selection Committee
1993
- Director, Commemorative Committee for "Patriotic Martyr in Yeosoon"
1994~
- Co-chairman, National Council for Freedom and Democracy
1995~
- Advisor, Korea Eligible Senior Voters Federation
1996~
- Chairman, Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation and President, the Seoul Peace Prize Selection Committee
- Member, Organizing Committee for the 2002 World Cup
- Chairman, *ociation of Patriotic Societies for National Foundation
1998
- Chairman, Preparatory Committee for Commemorative of the Founding of the Republic of Korea
2005
- 자유민주비상국민회의 대표의장
2007
- Chairman, Parliamentarians' Society of the Republic of Korea
2011~2016
- Chairman, The Elders Group of the Parliamentarians' Society of the Republic of Korea
Death
Lee died on February 27, 2016 at 03:45 KST, at Samsung Hospital in Seoul at the age of 94. A funeral was held for him on March 2, 2016 that began with a five-day wake and a police-escorted procession that led to the National *embly and ended with a gun salute at the Seoul National Cemetery where he is buried along with former South Korean presidents.
Awards
- Order of Service Merit ("Mugunghwa Medal," Hangul: 국민훈장무궁화장)
Publications
- The Republic of Korea and I (대한민국과 나) (2011)
- Oh! Who Will Look After Korea (Hangul: 오! 대한민국 누가 지키리) (2002)
- A Challenge for Hopelessness (Hangul: 절망에의 도전)
- Long March to Democracy (Hangul: 민주의 장정)
- Pan-National Student Federation (Hangul: 전국학련)
- The Middle-of-the-Road Integration Theory (Hangul: 중도통합론) (1992)
- The Sound Argument of Chaotic Period
- A History of Korean Students National-Building Movement
- How the Republic of Korea was Founded (1998)
- My Political Thoughts for Democratic Development
See also
- Kim Gu
- Kim Kyu-sik
- Kim Seong-su
- Syngman Rhee
References
External links
- Lee Chul-seung: National *embly of South Korea
- 이철승 "민족지도자를 친일파로…" 동아일보 2005년 1월 26일자 기사 (in Korean)
- '건국60돌-헌정60돌' 이철승 헌정회장 인터뷰 동아일보 2008년 04월 02일자 (in Korean)
- 이철승 전 신민당 대표 회고록 출판기념회 중앙일보 2011년 05월 24일자 (in Korean)
- 한국 현대사증언 TV자서전:이철승 1부 – 일제 식민지와 해방 (in Korean)