[Obituary] SFIA Mourns the Passing of Honorary Chairman Lee Hong-koo

Date: 2026-05-26

 SFIA Mourns the Passing of Honorary Chairman Lee Hong-koo

 

Honorary Chairman Lee Hong-koo at the 12th Korea-Canada Forum in Busan on October 16, 2014

 

The Seoul Forum for International Affairs (SFIA) deeply mourns the passing of Honorary Chairman, former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo.

 

Chairman Lee was a preeminent figure in South Korean academia, diplomacy, and statesmanship. As a distinguished political scientist, he brought scholarly depth and intellectual rigor to a lifelong career in public service. Throughout his career, he served the nation with great distinction as Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Ambassador to the United States and the United Kingdom, and in various advisory roles, representing the country on the global stage. Beyond his official duties, he remained a vital intellectual voice on issues of governance, international relations, and Korea's role in a rapidly changing global order.

 

In 1986, Chairman Lee was among the founding members of SFIA, an institution established to foster sustained engagement between South Korea and the international community. At a time when structured platforms for dialogue in international affairs were still limited, he envisioned a forum that would bring together scholars, policymakers, corporate leaders, and practitioners to promote informed discussions and mutual understanding of global issues. Serving as the inaugural president, he laid the institutional foundation of SFIA, defining its guiding principles of academic rigor, non-partisanship, and commitment to an open and constructive global engagement. These principles continue to form the core of the Forum's mission and work.

 

As the Seoul Forum marks its 40th anniversary in September 2026, it does so with profound recognition of Chairman Lee's enduring intellectual and institutional legacy. The Forum remains deeply shaped by the standards he established and the vision he articulated at its inception.

 

The Seoul Forum extends its deepest condolences to Chairman Lee's family. The Forum reaffirms its commitment to honoring his memory through the continued pursuit of the values and mission he devoted his life to advancing.

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