Lee Hae-chan (Korean: 이해찬; born 10 July 1952) is a South Korean politician who served as Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea from 2018 to 2020. He also served as Prime Minister of South Korea from 2004 to 2006.[1]
He served as Member of the National Assembly for the Gwanak District from 1988 to 1995 and 1996 to 2008. He served as Minister of Education under President Kim Dae-jung from 1998 to 1999. He presided over controversial education reforms including revamping the college entrance process and lowering the retirement age of teachers. He later served under President Roh Moo-hyun as Prime Minister of South Korea from July 2004 to March 2006.
On 27 August 2018, he was elected the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.
Lee instituted reforms to the college admissions process. He was criticised[by whom?] for allegedly dramatically lowering the scholastic competence of the so-called Lee Hae-chan generation of then-high school students.
He was nominated by President Roh Moo-hyun for the office of Prime Minister of South Korea on 28 July 2004, and was approved by the National Assembly on 29 July. He took office on 30 July.
His nomination as prime minister was met with some resistance due to his record as minister of education, which many considered a failure. After taking office, however, Lee has proved an able prime minister, being described by some as the most powerful prime minister South Korea had seen.[citation needed]
On 1 March 2006, the Korean Railroad Workers Union and Seoul Subway Union went on strike. The strike of railroad and subway unions at the same time proved to be a fatal blow to the nation's economic activity, especially Seoul area, where traffic heavily depended on subway, which was controlled by the two unions. Prime Minister Lee was supposed to command the situation and mediate the strike; however, he was playing golf at Busan area with local businessmen, and this caused outrage among Korean people against Lee for not taking care of the government and people.[citation needed]