{{koreanname noimage|
hangul=이회창|
hanja=李會昌|
rr=Yi Hoechang|
mr=Yi Hoech'ang|
}}

'''Lee Hoi-chang''' (born [[June 2]], [[1935]]) is a [[South Korea]]n politician. He was born to an elite family in Seoheung, [[Hwanghae]] province, which now is part of [[North Korea]], but he grew up in the South after his father, a public prosecutor, got a new posting. 

Like his father, Lee studied law and became a judge at the age of 25, having graduated from the [[Seoul National University]]. He went on to become the country's youngest-ever Supreme Court judge at the age of 46, and was nicknamed "Bamboo", a Korean term for an upright person of principle. 

==Political career==

In [[1988]], Lee was appointed the National Election Commission chief, and in [[1993]] moved on to head the Board of Audit and Inspection under President [[Kim Young-sam]]. He was appointed [[Prime Minister of South Korea|prime minister]] the same year but resigned after a few months, frustrated at the lack of real power in the mainly ceremonial job. 

In [[1996]] he led the parliamentary campaign of the then-ruling New Korea Party (NKP), which merged with another party to become the current [[Grand National Party]] in [[1997]]. Lee was elected as the party's presidential candidate for the presidential election scheduled for the same year. Although the candidacy seemed a sure note to victory in the beginning, Lee ultimately lost to [[Kim Dae-jung]] in the midst of [[Asian economic crisis]]. His campaign was tainted by accusations that his two sons avoided compulsory military service by deliberately losing weight before medical checkup.

Lee again sought to win the presidency in [[2002]]. Although corruption scandals marred the incumbent government, he again lost to [[Roh Moo-hyun]], Kim Dae-jung's successor, unable to cope with the opponent's youthful and vigorous campaign strategy. Lee subsequently announced retirement from politics.

Lee's platform for both elections was consistent with the basic tenet of South Korean [[conservatism]] which included a tough policy on North Korea, market-oriented and pro-business economic policies and crackdown on illegal strikes. Lee and his party repeatedly criticized Kim Dae-jung's "sunshine policy", and insisted financial aid to North Korea should be cut off until its alleged [[North Korea and weapons of mass destruction|nuclear weapon program]] is dismantled. 

==External links==
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2535547.stm BBC biography]
[[Category:South Korean politicians|Lee Hoi-chang]]
[[Category:1935 births|Lee Hoi-chang]]
[[Category:Living people|Lee Hoi-chang]]
[[Category:Seoul National University alumni]]

[[de:Lee Hoi-chang]]
[[ko:이회창]]
[[ja:李会昌]]
[[zh:李会昌]]