Li Myung-bak (Lee Myung-bak)

Li Myung-bak (Lee Myung-bak)

Biography

1965-1988

In 1965  Lee Myung-bak was employed in then still small construction company Hyundai Construction. Having worked 13 days, Li earned the nickname "bulldozer" for the fact that he completely understood the bulldozer, studied its mechanism and established the reason of frequent breakdowns.

In  1977 at the age of 35 years Lee Myung-bak held a post of the chief executive of Hyundai Construction and became the youngest head in South Korea. At the same time he continued to work hard also, as before. In  1988 at the age of 47 years, he became the chairman of the board of directors of Hyundai Construction.

2008-2013

Lee Myung-bak was the president of South Korea from 2008 to 2013. Before he was the mayor of Seoul. Having become the head of state, he promised to recover economy, to strengthen the relations with the USA and "conduct process" with North Korea. During the inauguration Lee Myung-bak noted that he will continue to pursue policy of "global democracy" and to set up further cooperation with such neighboring countries as Japan, China and Russia and also to adhere to a firm political policy concerning the DPRK.

2018: A sentence by 15 years of prison for corruption

On October 5, 2018 the former president of South Korea Lee Myung-bak was sentenced to 15 years of prison for the organization of corruption schemes within which, in particular, he got bribes from Samsung Electronics.

The central district court of Seoul (Seoul Central District Court) recognized 76-year-old Lee Myung-bak guilty of assignment of 24.6 billion wons ($21.77 million at the rate of for October 5, 2018) money through the company belonging to the brother on production of automobile spare parts and also in taking of bribes from Samsung and other companies. In addition to imprisonment, the court obliged the guilty person to pay a penalty in the amount of 13 billion wons ($11.5 million). The prosecutor's office required for the ex-president of 20 years of prison.

According to the investigation, Samsung Electronics bribed Lee Myung-bak to avoid investigation about tax avoidance.  Appears the amount of a bribe of 6 billion wons ($5.3 million), had got which in judicial materials, he amnestied the chairman of the board of directors of Samsung Group Li Gonkhi serving at that time the sentence for non-payment of taxes. Also receiving 2.3 billion wons by Lee Myung-bak ($2 million) from the former head of the largest South Korean bank Woori Financial Group and the former member of parliament of the country was recognized a bribe.

The court found the former head of the state guilty on  seven of  16 counts. Among them — bribery, assignment of means, tax avoidance, abuse of power, violation of electoral laws.

Such actions from the president, the head of state and the head of a system of executive power need to be judged to the fullest extent of the law as it is not only about continuous violations of justice and conscientiousness of Presidential Administration, but also about betrayal of confidence in all government in general, said in the court order which gives Reuters agency.

Lee Myung-bak was not present at announcement of a sentence which was broadcast on television live. The absence of the ex-president in the courtroom at this moment was explained with feeling sick of accused.

The ex-president of South Korea rejected all charges in the address more than once, saying that the present authorities of the country wage a campaign against conservative forces under the pretext of fight against corruption.

Lee Myung-bak became the fifth South Korean ex-president who became the person involved in criminal case. In April, 2018 Park Geun-hye who held presidential post after Lee Myung-bak  was also sent  to prison on a charge of corruption. The court sentenced her to 24 years of imprisonment and a fine of 118.5 billion wons ($95 million). Within that case the actual head of Samsung Group conglomerate Li Zhe Yeon was also sent to jail.

Two other former presidents of South Korea — Chun Doo-hwan (1980-1988) and Ro Zhe U (1988-1993) were judged for bribery and treachery in 1996. In a year they  were amnestied.^[1]

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