# Yi Cheol-seung

Yi Cheol-seung (Korean: 이철승; May 15, 1922 – February 27, 2016) was a South Korean politician who served in the National Assembly for seven terms.
Lee was an advocate for the Korean independence movement, democracy, anti-communism, anti-military rule, and non-governmental organizations. After Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule in 1945, Lee led a student union that opposed the trusteeship of Korea [ko] under the United States and Soviet Union. He eventually entered politics in 1954 after winning a parliamentary seat.
Lee and his two political rivals, former Presidents Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung, were famous for their political competition and the establishment and development of democracy in South Korea. He was given buried in the Seoul National Cemetery on March 2, 2016, where former South Korean presidents are also buried.

## 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

The following is a timeline of his career.

### Independence Activist

1946
* Chairman, Central Committee, Anti-Trustee Students Assembly
* Chairman, Central Committee, National Students Assembly

### National Assembly

1954
* Member, The 3rd National Assembly(Jeonju, Independent)
1958~1961
* Member, The 4th National Assembly(Jeonju, Democratic Party)
* The 5th National Assembly(Jeonju, Democratic Party)
1961
* Korean Delegate to the 15th U.N. General Assembly
* Chairman, Korea Sports Council
* President, Korea Weightlifting Federation
1966
* Chairman, Asia Weightlifting Federation
1969
* Chairman, Asia Weightlifting Federation
1971~1973
* Member, The 8th National Assembly(Jeonju, New Democratic Party)
* Chairman, Korean Policy Research Institute
1973
* Member, The 9th National Assembly(Jeonju, New Democratic Party)
* Vice Speaker of the National Assembly
1975
* Korean Delegate to the 30th U.N. General Assembly
1976
* Representative Supreme Member, New Democratic Party
1978
* Member, The 10th National Assembly(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 Assembly(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 passport" 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, Association 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 Assembly 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," 국민훈장무궁화장)

## Publications

* The Republic of Korea and I (대한민국과 나; 2011)
* Oh! Who Will Look After Korea (오! 대한민국 누가 지키리; 2002)
* A Challenge for Hopelessness (절망에의 도전)
* Long March to Democracy (민주의 장정)
* Pan-National Student Federation (전국학련)
* The Middle-of-the-Road Integration Theory (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