Lee Sang-deuk
South Korean politician and businessman (1935–2024)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lee Sang-deuk (Korean: 이상득; 29 November 1935 – 23 October 2024) was a South Korean politician and businessman. He was well known as the older brother of the former South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak. He was a member of the conservative Saenuri Party in the National Assembly. He was convicted of bribery in 2013, and sentenced to a prison sentence of one year and two months.[1]
Lee died on 23 October 2024, at the age of 88.[2]
Controversies
- He is alleged to be the ringleader of the illegal political-level investigation towards civilian institutions and individuals by the ruling party, the Grand National Party.[3]
- During the controversial passing of the year 2011 budget bill, he is alleged to obtain an unusually enormous funding for his representative area, Pohang.[4] Political critics call this act a capitalization of "big brother" budget due to his close kinship ties with Lee Myung-bak. Democratic Party assembly leader, Park Ji-weon, criticized this act as contributing to the unbalanced and unfair budget distribution all across South Korea.
- He was criticized for making a jingoistic suggestion about marking the Taegeuk symbol on the food supplies for the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami victims.[5]
- He possessed a piece of land in secret between 1995 and 2003 under secret deal with Samho, a Korean company, and the National Intelligence Service.[6]