Former presidents see ups, downs

From left are former presidents Lee Myung-bak, Kim Young-sam, Roh Tae-woo, and Chun Doo-hwan.

By Kim Hyo-jin

The year 2015 may see former presidents have either high or low profiles.

The youngest among four living ex-presidents Lee Myung-bak is still engaged in various activities.

He plans to publish his autobiography early this year. The book is expected to cover key policies during his presidency, including the “green growth” strategy of promoting low-carbon economic growth.

The 74-year-old visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in November to meet Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The UAE Crown Prince played a critical role in a Korean consortium being chosen to supply four nuclear reactors to be housed in two sites in 2009. He has close ties with Lee, according to sources.

Amid growing controversy over his “resources diplomacy,” he hosted a big year-end party for his aides last month to celebrate his birthday and the anniversary of his election.

This week, the National Assembly approved a plan to establish a committee to look into his “resources diplomacy," which came under criticism for having allegedly increased the national debt.

Under the Lee administration from 2008 through 2012, energy-related state companies invested about 27 trillion won in various resources development projects abroad, but they have so far recouped only 3.7 trillion won.

The oldest former president, Kim Young-sam, 88, has long been out of the public eye.

Kim was discharged from the Seoul National University hospital on Dec. 3, and has stayed at home in Sangdo-dong, Seoul. Until then, he had been in and out of hospital for persistent pneumonia.

“He still seems unwell, although he looks better than last seen,” said a lawmaker of Saenuri Party who visited him Thursday.

Former President Roh Tae-woo, 83, has also been in poor health condition.

Following surgery for prostate cancer in 2002, he had been hospitalized for a long time. He is now being treated at home, but his condition has worsened to the point where he is barely able to talk. Representatives of the ruling Saenuri Party had to rule out Roh from the list of former presidents to visit on New Year’s Day.

Former president Chun Doo-hwan, whose presidential term was between 1980-1988, is in relatively good condition.

The 84-year-old ex-president told lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party who visited him Thursday that, “The ruling and opposition parties should refrain from strife.”

He reportedly attended a Christmas mass with his wife Lee Sun-ja at the invitation of a close pastor.

In August, without a prior notice, he visited Roh for the first time in a decade, drawing public attention.