Lee Hee-ho

Lee Hee-ho
이희호
First Lady of South Korea
In role
25 February 1998 – 24 February 2003
PresidentKim Dae-jung
Preceded bySon Myung-soon
Succeeded byKwon Yang-sook
Personal details
Born(1922-09-21)21 September 1922
Jongno, Keijō, Keiki-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan
Died10 June 2019(2019-06-10) (aged 96)
Severance Hospital, Sinchon-dong, Seoul, South Korea
Resting placeSeoul National Cemetery
Spouse
(m. 1962; died 2009)
Children1 (2 stepchildren)
EducationSeoul National University
Lambuth University
Scarritt College
Lee Hee-ho
Hangul
이희호
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Huiho
McCune–ReischauerYi Hŭiho

Lee Hee-ho,[1] sometimes spelled as Lee Hui-ho, (Korean이희호; Hanja李姬鎬; 21 September 1922 – 10 June 2019), was a South Korean women's rights activist, peace advocate and former First Lady of South Korea during the presidency of her husband Kim Dae-jung from 1998 to 2003.

She is widely regarded as one of the pioneering feminists of South Korea. Throughout her life, she championed women's empowerment and elimination of gender discrimination.

After her marriage, she worked for pro-democracy movements with her husband over two decades of authoritarian regimes.

During and after her husband's presidency, she had participated in and led notable works enhancing inter-Korean relations. Lee chaired the Kim Dae Jung Peace Center, which was founded by her husband to promote peace and constructive Inter-Korean relations, as well as to alleviate poverty.[1]

  1. ^ a b "Lee Hee-ho, widow of ex-President Kim Dae-jung, dies at 97". The Korea Herald. Yonhap. 11 June 2019. Archived from the original on 10 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.