SNU-ACADA President Lee Pil-woo speaks at a seminar titled “State and Government: Myth and Theory” at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry on June 12, 2014. 

The portrait of the late Lee Jae-hyun SNU-ACADA President Lee Pil-woo keeps at his office in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul. He’s also known by his pen name Ikjae, a renowned scholar during King Seonjo of the Goryeo Dynasty, and is one of Chairman Lee’s ancestors.

President Lee Pil-woo of Seoul National University’s Advanced Center for Administrative Development Alumni (SNU-ACADA) — concurrently chairman of the 11th National Assembly Parliamentarians Committee — tries to put into practice his lifelong tenets: filial duty and trust. He tours his countryside retreat, called “Yeongchuwon,” in his native town at Gaeryong-ni, Chupung-myon, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, whenever he has a free time. The retreat, located in a pristine natural setting, is a quiet place in which he leisurely practices field duty, one of Korean ancestral virtuous teachings.   

Yongchuwon is home to his late parents’ tombs, as well as lodging facilities, now under construction to accommodate his acquaintances and celebrities. Traditional Korean-type clay structures are being constructed at Lee’s private retreat according to his own design. Despite the sweltering summertime weather that hovers around 35 degrees Celsius, Chairman Lee himself does manual labor with crews there. His face is darkly tanned, but seems to be healthy. “I believe that working in my parents’ gravesite is what I ought to do as their off-spring, and I think off-springs should not forget their parents’ devotion, complying with filial duty,” he said. 

Chairman Lee’s conviction toward filial duty is noteworthy. Lee, also chairman of the Association of Chungcheongbuk-do Residents in Seoul, has donated his money to present people hailing from Chungcheongbuk-do, selected in recognition for compliance with filial duty to their father or mother at a general meeting of the association every year. Award winners for practicing filial duty have so far added up to several hundred people. 

Former President Lee Myung-bak visits the Office of the Association of Chungcheongbuk-do Residents in Seoul to meet with Association Chairman Lee Pil-woo. SNU-ACADA Chairman Lee also serves as chairman of the Central Fraternity Association of Gyeongju Lee Genealogy, in which ex-President Lee is a member.

SNU-ACADA President Lee discusses issues of mutual interest with Chairman Shin Kyung-shik of the Korean Constitutional Association and others at Yongchuwon.

Chairman Lee has enshrined the portrait of the late Lee Jae-hyun at his office in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul. He’s also known by his pen name Ikjae, a renowned scholar during King Seonjo of the Goryeo Dynasty, and is one of his ancestors. The portrait is a photoprint version of the real size portrait of the late Lee, preserved as the National Treasure No. 110 at the National Museum of Korea. The late Lee, who served three Goryeo Dynasty kings, including King Chungseon, was recognized by noblemen for his royalty and filial duties, and he left behind many literatures. He’s considered “the No. 1 Poet of the Orient.”

Chairman Lee believes that filial duty is the root of all conduct, and persons who comply with filial duty are supposed to devote themselves to country and politely serve his or her seniors in office. Lee stresses that Ikjae is one of the historically-renowned personalities. Youth complying with filial duty, he said, is praised in society and inducted into successful persons. 

Mindful of the fading filial duty of the current times, Chairman Lee points out that youth learn and follow good deeds of elder generations who comply with filial duty.

Chairman Lee, re-elected as the 9th chairman of the Association of Chungcheongbuk-do Residents in Seoul at a general meeting of the association on May 14, is credited with his dedication to the development of the province, particularly giving counseling and mentoring so that many gifted people from the province could be promoted to higher or central government positions. In particular, Chairman Lee played a part in persuading many people so that Shin Kyung-shik, a former lawmaker of Cheongwon, Chungcheongbuk-do, can be elected as the 9th chairman of the Korea Constitutional Association on March 24.

Lee hosted a luncheon to celebrate the election of Chairman Shin and agreed to redouble efforts to develop the province with the latter, who extended thanks to Chairman Lee’s cooperation. He pledged to promote solidarity and the standing of the Korean Constitutional Association. 

Chairman Lee also extends a helping hand to the province’s successful hosting of the ISOFAR 2015 Goesan International Organic Expo and Industry Fair, which are slated for this autumn in Goesan. Lee dispatched the vice chairman of the Association of Chungcheongbuk-do Residents in Seoul to purchase 1,250 entrance tickets of the expo, which are to be doled out to the association members in Seoul. The expo is the province’s first international event, approved by the central government. Korean and foreign experts and business leaders in diverse areas related to organic agriculture will descend on Goesan, Chungcheongbuk-do, to participate in the expo and industry fair that will open for a 24-day run on Sept. 18. Chairman Lee has always been stressing that his association members should join forces in solidarity to make such mega-events as the Expo a success. 

SNU-ACADA President Lee Pil-woo stresses filial duty and trust.

Chairman Lee Pil-woo of the Association of Chungcheongbuk-do Residents in Seoul and his association members pose for a group photo session as they attended the 60th general assembly of the association and the 2015 New Year’s meeting at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Feb. 26. (Photos:SNU-ACADA President Lee Pil-woo’s Office)

Chairman Lee’s office in Nohyeon-dong is now frequented by many dignitaries hailing from the province to hear his wisdoms. Lee always has a meeting with visitors to exchange views and lifelong wisdoms after a lunch. Many visitors are so moved to hear Chairman Lee’s humors and lifelong tales imbued with wisdoms and rich career experiences. One of the visitors compared his meeting with Chairman Lee with the well-known lunch with U.S. millionaire investor Warran Buffet. Lee is noted for having maintained close and amicable relationships with former presidents for 61 years. He now recalls his attitude of being humble while staying close with the nation’s power elite for a long period of time. 

Lee took a 15-day trip to Europe early this year. He would go abroad frequently if permitted by time. Lee said he saw and felt many changes in Europe from the trip, including the sufferings of the global economic downturn, to the extent that many merchandise has been discounted up to 70 percent. He also touched upon the uncertainties of Korea’s future, including the side effects of the ballooning debt load. 

Touring ancient architectural structures scattered in several parts of Europe, including Roman buildings, Chairman Lee commented that Europeans used bricks and marble, whereas Koreans built thatched houses 2,000 days ago, and he was impressed with their wisdom and awareness when it came to the preservation of cultural properties.