[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] Lee Sang-hee, former Minister of Construction who promoted the construction of 2 million houses during the Roh Tae-woo administration and led the development of Bundang and Ilsan, passed away from old age around 5 p.m. on the 8th. He was 90 years old.
Born in Seongju, Gyeongbuk, he graduated from Korea University with a degree in law and worked as a teacher at Daegu Jungang Commercial High School before passing the civil service exam. He then served as mayor of Jinju, director of the Planning and Management Office at the Ministry of the Interior, head of the Korea Forest Service, and mayor of Daegu. He later became governor of Gyeongbuk Province and served as Minister of the Interior from 1987 to 1988.
During the Roh Tae-woo administration, he served as president of the Korea Land Development Corporation and Minister of Construction, leading development plans for first-generation new towns such as Bundang and Ilsan. He is known for purchasing 300,000 pyeong of land in the center of Ilsan New Town to create Ilsan Lake Park. He also oversaw the construction of Jayuro and Tongildongsan.
He later served as chairman of Yeonggwang Academy, the school foundation operating Daegu University. He left behind various publications in diverse fields, including Introduction to Local Taxation, Theory of Local Finance, Korean Culture Seen Through Flowers, Our Flower Culture Travelogue, and Alcohol: Korean Alcohol Culture.
He is survived by his wife Song Myung-ja and their two sons and two daughters.
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