Lee Bu-young (李富榮, born September 26, 1942) is a South Korean journalist and politician. He served as a member of the 14th, 15th, and 16th National Assembly. His family seat is Jeonju.
Born Sep 26, 1942Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 2:51 PM
Lee Bu-young (李富榮, born September 26, 1942) is a South Koreanjournalist and politician. He served as a member of the National Assembly in the 14th, 15th, and 16th terms. His family seat is Jeonju.
Life
On September 26, 1942, he was born in Naesu-dong, Jongno District, Seoul. In 1968, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Seoul National University and joined The Dong-a Ilbo as a reporter. In 1974, at the age of 32, he and fellow reporters founded the Dong-A Free Press Defense Struggle Committee and issued the Declaration of Free Press Practice, calling for the defense of press freedom against the October Yushin; the following year he was dismissed. He was arrested on charges of violating the Emergency Measures and the National Security Act and sentenced to nine years in prison. In 1984, he served as co-representative of the Council of People's Democratic Movement, and in 1985 he served as standing committee chairman and secretary-general of the Democratic Unification People's Movement Federation, becoming a prominent figure of the opposition outside the political establishment. In 1986, he was arrested on charges of leading the May Third Incheon Incident and served two years in prison.
In 1988, he organized the Committee for the Investigation of the Gwangju Massacre and demanded the investigation and arrest of Chun Doo-hwan; he was arrested again and imprisoned. In 1989, together with Kim Geun-tae, Lee Jae-oh, Jang Gi-pyo, and others, he organized the National Alliance for Nationalist and Democratic Movement and became its standing chairman, but he was arrested again and imprisoned over Moon Ik-hwan's visit to North Korea. In 1990, he joined the Democratic Party founded by , , and others who opposed the , entering politics.
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In 1992, he ran in the 14th general election as the Democratic Party nominee for Gangdong District Gap in Seoul and won. In 1994, after Kim Il-sung died, he asked during a National Assembly interpellation of the government whether it had no intention of sending a condolence delegation to North Korea, which drew criticism from conservative forces.
However, owing to his distinctive reformist inclinations and convictions, he diverged from other party leadership, including Lee Hoi-chang, on North Korea policy, such as supporting President Kim Dae-jung's June 15 North–South Joint Declaration. Sometimes, when conservative members of the Grand National Party raised ideological attacks against the government and ruling party, he clearly expressed opposition, which caused dissatisfaction within the party.
On December 6, 2007, he was sentenced by the Seoul Central District Court to two years in prison and an additional payment (forfeiture) of 210.7 million won for receiving 200 million won from JU Group, and he was taken into custody.1 Afterward, he was appointed standing adviser of the Democratic United Party, but on February 11, 2015, he announced his retirement from politics.2
Criminal Record
Violation of the National Security Act and Others
In August 1976, the Supreme Court sentenced him under Emergency Measure No. 9 and the National Security Act to two years and six months in prison and two years and six months of suspension of qualifications. He served the sentence and it was completed on December 27, 1977. In a retrial at the Supreme Court in June 2015, he received a final not-guilty verdict.34
Receipt of 50 Million Won from Hanwha
In or around August 2002, Lee received five bonds worth 10 million won each (equivalent to 50 million won) from Hanwha through his secretary, Mr. Jang.5
Dissemination of False Information About a Rival Candidate in His Constituency
In late February 2004, Lee published and distributed to about 72,000 households in Gangdong District, Seoul, his constituency, a `2004 Annual Report on Activities' that contained false information about a rival candidate of the time. On July 19, 2005, Division 10 of the Seoul High Court Criminal Division overturned the original judgment and sentenced Lee to a fine of 800,000 won for violating the Public Official Election Act and the Prevention of Election Fraud Act.6
Receipt of Several Hundred Million Won from JU
In September 2005, Lee received requests from Joo Soo-do, chairman of JU Group, for favors including an extension of the exploration permit for the West Sea oil field, amendments to the Door-to-Door Sales Act, and a pardon for Chairman Joo. In return, he had JU's side provide 520 million won to the Jang Jun-ha Memorial Association, of which he was chairman, and he received about 210 million won in three installments into accounts under other names.7
Retrial Acquittal Case
Holding an Unauthorized Assembly and Violating Martial Law Decree
On October 26, 1979, President Park Chung-hee was killed in a shooting incident. On October 27, 1979, acting president Choi Kyu-hah declared martial law in all areas except Jeju Island, and General Chung Sung-hwa, commander of martial law, issued Martial Law Decree No. 1.3
Article 1 of the text of Martial Law Decree No. 1, "Maintenance of National Security and Public Order," stated that all indoor and outdoor assemblies required permission and that demonstrations and other group activities were prohibited.3
Lee Bu-young, as a standing committee member of the ○○○○○○○○○○ Committee, although all indoor and outdoor assemblies required permission under the decree, conspired with Sung ○○, Lee ○○, Jung ○○, Kim ○○, Lee ○○, Baek ○○, Seo ○○, Yeom ○○, Kim ○○ and others to hold, without permission, an assembly to issue statements on the political situation under the names of the ○○○○ Council, ○○○○○○ Council, ○○○○○○○○○○ Committee, ○○○○○○○○○○ Committee, and ○○○○ Council. On November 13, 1979, from about 10:00 to about 10:40 a.m., in the reception room of the residence of Yoon ○○ at △ in ○○-dong, ○○-gu, Seoul, in the presence of Sung ○○, Lee ○○, Lee ○○, Jung ○○, Lee ○○, Kim ○○, and five to six members of the five groups, and after calling together fifteen to twenty domestic and foreign reporters by telephone, including reporters from the domestic Dong-a Ilbo, Kyunghyang Shinmun, and Hapdong News Agency, and correspondents from Japan's Asahi Shimbun, Kyodo News, and the U.S. New York Times, NBC, UPI, AFP, and AP, under the moderation of Jung ○○, they read aloud a statement under the five groups' names titled "For the Democratization of Our Nation," which demanded the repeal of emergency measures and martial law, guarantees of press freedom, the release of political prisoners, and the restoration of rights of those who had been persecuted, and then held a press conference, thereby holding an indoor and outdoor assembly without permission (violation of Article 1 of the Martial Law Decree).3
On December 5, 1979, the Martial Law General Court-Martial of the Capital Garrison Command sentenced Lee Bu-young to three years in prison for violating the martial law decree (applying Articles 15 and 13 of the Martial Law Act, Article 1 of Martial Law Decree, and Article 30 of the Criminal Act).3
On March 6, 1980, the Army Martial Law High Court-Martial dismissed Lee Bu-young's appeal.3
On June 10, 1980, the Supreme Court dismissed Lee Bu-young's final appeal.3
On March 18, 2021, the Seoul Central District Court decided to commence a retrial.3
On August 27, 2021, the 24th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, in the retrial judgment, found Lee Bu-young not guilty of violating the martial law decree.3
Lee Bu-young (李富榮, born September 26, 1942) is a South Koreanjournalist and politician. He served as a member of the National Assembly in the 14th, 15th, and 16th terms. His family seat is Jeonju.
Life
On September 26, 1942, he was born in Naesu-dong, Jongno District, Seoul. In 1968, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Seoul National University and joined The Dong-a Ilbo as a reporter. In 1974, at the age of 32, he and fellow reporters founded the Dong-A Free Press Defense Struggle Committee and issued the Declaration of Free Press Practice, calling for the defense of press freedom against the October Yushin; the following year he was dismissed. He was arrested on charges of violating the Emergency Measures and the National Security Act and sentenced to nine years in prison. In 1984, he served as co-representative of the Council of People's Democratic Movement, and in 1985 he served as standing committee chairman and secretary-general of the Democratic Unification People's Movement Federation, becoming a prominent figure of the opposition outside the political establishment. In 1986, he was arrested on charges of leading the May Third Incheon Incident and served two years in prison.
In 1988, he organized the Committee for the Investigation of the Gwangju Massacre and demanded the investigation and arrest of Chun Doo-hwan; he was arrested again and imprisoned. In 1989, together with Kim Geun-tae, Lee Jae-oh, Jang Gi-pyo, and others, he organized the National Alliance for Nationalist and Democratic Movement and became its standing chairman, but he was arrested again and imprisoned over 's visit to North Korea. In 1990, he joined the founded by , , and others who opposed the , entering politics.
In 1992, he ran in the 14th general election as the Democratic Party nominee for Gangdong District Gap in Seoul and won. In 1994, after Kim Il-sung died, he asked during a National Assembly interpellation of the government whether it had no intention of sending a condolence delegation to North Korea, which drew criticism from conservative forces.
However, owing to his distinctive reformist inclinations and convictions, he diverged from other party leadership, including Lee Hoi-chang, on North Korea policy, such as supporting President Kim Dae-jung's June 15 North–South Joint Declaration. Sometimes, when conservative members of the Grand National Party raised ideological attacks against the government and ruling party, he clearly expressed opposition, which caused dissatisfaction within the party.
On December 6, 2007, he was sentenced by the Seoul Central District Court to two years in prison and an additional payment (forfeiture) of 210.7 million won for receiving 200 million won from JU Group, and he was taken into custody.1 Afterward, he was appointed standing adviser of the Democratic United Party, but on February 11, 2015, he announced his retirement from politics.2
Criminal Record
Violation of the National Security Act and Others
In August 1976, the Supreme Court sentenced him under Emergency Measure No. 9 and the National Security Act to two years and six months in prison and two years and six months of suspension of qualifications. He served the sentence and it was completed on December 27, 1977. In a retrial at the Supreme Court in June 2015, he received a final not-guilty verdict.34
Receipt of 50 Million Won from Hanwha
In or around August 2002, Lee received five bonds worth 10 million won each (equivalent to 50 million won) from Hanwha through his secretary, Mr. Jang.5
Dissemination of False Information About a Rival Candidate in His Constituency
In late February 2004, Lee published and distributed to about 72,000 households in Gangdong District, Seoul, his constituency, a `2004 Annual Report on Activities' that contained false information about a rival candidate of the time. On July 19, 2005, Division 10 of the Seoul High Court Criminal Division overturned the original judgment and sentenced Lee to a fine of 800,000 won for violating the Public Official Election Act and the Prevention of Election Fraud Act.6
Receipt of Several Hundred Million Won from JU
In September 2005, Lee received requests from Joo Soo-do, chairman of JU Group, for favors including an extension of the exploration permit for the West Sea oil field, amendments to the Door-to-Door Sales Act, and a pardon for Chairman Joo. In return, he had JU's side provide 520 million won to the Jang Jun-ha Memorial Association, of which he was chairman, and he received about 210 million won in three installments into accounts under other names.7
Retrial Acquittal Case
Holding an Unauthorized Assembly and Violating Martial Law Decree
On October 26, 1979, President Park Chung-hee was killed in a shooting incident. On October 27, 1979, acting president Choi Kyu-hah declared martial law in all areas except Jeju Island, and General Chung Sung-hwa, commander of martial law, issued Martial Law Decree No. 1.3
Article 1 of the text of Martial Law Decree No. 1, "Maintenance of National Security and Public Order," stated that all indoor and outdoor assemblies required permission and that demonstrations and other group activities were prohibited.3
Lee Bu-young, as a standing committee member of the ○○○○○○○○○○ Committee, although all indoor and outdoor assemblies required permission under the decree, conspired with Sung ○○, Lee ○○, Jung ○○, Kim ○○, Lee ○○, Baek ○○, Seo ○○, Yeom ○○, Kim ○○ and others to hold, without permission, an assembly to issue statements on the political situation under the names of the ○○○○ Council, ○○○○○○ Council, ○○○○○○○○○○ Committee, ○○○○○○○○○○ Committee, and ○○○○ Council. On November 13, 1979, from about 10:00 to about 10:40 a.m., in the reception room of the residence of Yoon ○○ at △ in ○○-dong, ○○-gu, Seoul, in the presence of Sung ○○, Lee ○○, Lee ○○, Jung ○○, Lee ○○, Kim ○○, and five to six members of the five groups, and after calling together fifteen to twenty domestic and foreign reporters by telephone, including reporters from the domestic Dong-a Ilbo, Kyunghyang Shinmun, and Hapdong News Agency, and correspondents from Japan's Asahi Shimbun, Kyodo News, and the U.S. New York Times, NBC, UPI, AFP, and AP, under the moderation of Jung ○○, they read aloud a statement under the five groups' names titled "For the Democratization of Our Nation," which demanded the repeal of emergency measures and martial law, guarantees of press freedom, the release of political prisoners, and the restoration of rights of those who had been persecuted, and then held a press conference, thereby holding an indoor and outdoor assembly without permission (violation of Article 1 of the Martial Law Decree).3
On December 5, 1979, the Martial Law General Court-Martial of the Capital Garrison Command sentenced Lee Bu-young to three years in prison for violating the martial law decree (applying Articles 15 and 13 of the Martial Law Act, Article 1 of Martial Law Decree, and Article 30 of the Criminal Act).3
On March 6, 1980, the Army Martial Law High Court-Martial dismissed Lee Bu-young's appeal.3
On June 10, 1980, the Supreme Court dismissed Lee Bu-young's final appeal.3
On March 18, 2021, the Seoul Central District Court decided to commence a retrial.3
On August 27, 2021, the 24th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, in the retrial judgment, found Lee Bu-young not guilty of violating the martial law decree.3