Lee was a rare figure who moved across academia, politics and diplomacy, taking on senior roles at key moments in South Korea’s modern history. Born in 1934 in Kaesong, he attended Kyunggi High School and Seoul National University, then studied at Emory University and Yale University in the United States. After returning home, he taught political science at Seoul National University for 20 years. He later served as minister of the National Unification Board under the Roh Tae-woo government; deputy prime minister and unification minister, then prime minister, under the Kim Young-sam government; and ambassador to the United States under the Kim Dae-jung government — an uncommon record of being tapped by three post-democratization administrations.
Lee entered government in 1988 with the launch of the Roh administration, serving as unification minister. He argued that inter-Korean relations should not be treated as a simple ideological confrontation and promoted a long-term, step-by-step approach to reshaping order on the Korean Peninsula. His “Korean Commonwealth” concept later became a foundation for the “Korean National Community Unification Formula.”
The formula, announced in 1989, was among his signature public legacies. Under three principles — independence, peace and democracy — it called for the two Koreas to move beyond confrontation and absorption toward gradual, phased unification. The article notes it was developed through agreement between ruling and opposition parties, rather than as a plan owned by a single political camp.
In the Kim Young-sam government, Lee returned as deputy prime minister and unification minister, then became prime minister in December 1994. His tenure coincided with a turbulent period as South Korea worked to consolidate democratic institutions, pursue globalization and manage both opportunities and risks in inter-Korean relations. A planned inter-Korean summit in 1994 advanced to the brink of realization but collapsed after the sudden death of North Korean leader Kim Il Sung, the article said.
As prime minister, Lee also faced the Sampoong Department Store collapse, one of the country’s most devastating disasters. The article recounts that he heard the news during an official dinner and rushed to the scene. Looking back on his time in office, he later said, “I feel more responsibility than achievements.”
Lee entered party politics in 1996 as a representative commissioner of the New Korea Party and became a member of the 15th National Assembly. He joined a presidential primary but withdrew, saying he wanted debate over policy but found that real-world politics did not properly compete over what was right or wrong in policy.
After the launch of the Kim Dae-jung government, Lee was again called to public service as South Korea sought to restore international credibility after the foreign exchange crisis. Kim asked him — a former New Korea Party leader and presidential primary contender — to serve as ambassador to the United States. The article describes the decision as politically difficult but says Lee accepted, putting national need ahead of partisan lines.
After leaving government, Lee continued to write and speak on public affairs. He served as an adviser to the JoongAng Ilbo and wrote a series titled “Lee Hong-koo Column,” offering commentary on domestic politics, inter-Korean relations and foreign policy. Through the Seoul International Forum, he also presented proposals on international affairs and security issues. He emphasized decentralization and dialogue, arguing that dispersing authority concentrated in the presidency would strengthen national capacity and make democracy more durable through restraint and shared responsibility.
The article portrays Lee as a restrained conservative who favored institutions, compromise and measured language over confrontation. It also notes a personal detail: his father’s birthplace was recorded under an old address as Odae-ri, Sangju-eup, Sangju-gun, North Gyeongsang Province.
Lee is survived by his public record as a political scientist, senior official and diplomat who, the article said, sought balance and civility in public life.
May he rest in peace.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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