Following is the first in a three-part series about the life of President-elect Lee Myung-bak. This installment focuses on Lee`s background and his career at Hyundai Engineering and Construction. - Ed.





Lee Myung-bak`s life is a typical rags-to-riches story. Born into a dirt-poor family in the 1940s, Lee strived for success in such a way that by the age of 35, he had become a corporate chief executive. He also served as mayor of the country`s capital city and is estimated to be worth over $30 million.

Although he is not keen to admit it, the former Seoul mayor appears rather to have benefited from his poverty-stricken past because to some extent, it eclipsed the spectacular success he has achieved as both a corporate figure and a politician, consequently rendering him more human, supporters say.

To the ordinary voter, the tale of his hardships helps soften his persona and assures the public that the seemingly invincible man has had his share of troubles.

Adding to the sympathy is newfound respect many seem to feel for his latest decision to donate most of his assets to charity, regardless of the results of the presidency. He said he owed that much to the country.

For those who share Lee`s wartime memories, the life of the "legendary salaried-man" has historical and personal significances. Like them, Lee helped reconstruct the war-ridden country and played a huge role in driving the rapid industrialization in the post-war 1970s. Lee is also a reminder of the destitute state Korea was in, not more than 40 years ago.

Reflecting the tough times, there were few odd jobs Lee Myung-bak had not done by the time he was old enough to attend elementary school.

Lee was born in Japan in 1941. He moved to Korea as a young boy and spent much of his childhood in Pohang, a port city in North Gyeongsang Province.

It was taken for granted that Lee would help his parents make a living. But Lee reminisces in his autobiography ("There Is No Legend") that the real desperation he felt stemmed not from the poverty itself, but that his family could not afford to send him to high school. Lee had excellent grades and in the end, he was able to attend an evening high school after winning a scholarship.

Lee said he still remembers a middle school teacher who had been adamant that he graduate high school, even in the face of strong objections from his own mother.

Later on, as she increasingly understood his determination to fulfill his dreams of getting a university diploma, she drew him aside to tell him that she had been wrong about him, and that he would go far.

Lee`s life in the throbbing city of Seoul started when he entered Korea University in 1960. To pay for his tuition and board, Lee soon got a job sweeping the streets of Itaewon. His 4 a.m. job included three round trips each time hauling the trash to a dump near Banpo Bridge.

After a year and a half, Lee was diagnosed with bronchiectasis, a rare lung disease, during a health examination for mandatory military service. The army refused to enlist him. The fact that he failed to fulfill his service plagued Lee during his presidential campaign as rivals were quick to point it out. Fortunately for Lee, a recent medical reexamination confirmed his claims.

In 1977, Lee Myung-bak began his corporate career at Hyundai Engineering and Construction, one of the first builders in the country. How Lee rapidly rose to the top brass is a well-worn tale: By the time he became the company`s youngest CEO at the age of 35, Lee was directly reporting to Chung Ju-yung, the company chairman.

As CEO, Lee was behind many of the massive building projects, both at home and overseas, that earned Hyundai a significant reputation.

His jobs at Hyundai included major construction projects for building landmarks ranging from railways and ports to power plants and national hospitals.

Later, when Hyundai went bankrupt during the 1997 financial crisis, the company placed part of the blame on Lee`s shoulders. Employees claimed that Lee was responsible for the business trend of building on debt. Hyundai accused Lee of engaging in damaging cost-competition and of failing to collect from clients.

Lee entered politics in 1992 to join the now defunct Democratic Liberal Party, becoming a legislator. His ties with the conservative party eventually led him to run for the presidency on the Grand National Party ticket.



By Kim Ji-hyun



(jemmie@heraldm.com)