Prime Minister Lees Passion for Golf
Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan turned into a diehard golf fan in 1997, right before the Kim Dae-jung administration took power. He was a third-term lawmaker at the time and knew nothing about golf. Members of his then party, National Congress for New Politics, even thought that the sport was too luxurious. They frequently took issue with it, saying that golf courses destroyed forests and used too much insecticide.
Lee started golfing at the not-so-young age of 45 after being encouraged by former lawmaker Lee Hun-pyung, a close aide to the Democratic Partys supreme representative at the time, Kwon No-gab, and former president Kim Dae-jung. Friends from his high school also talked him into playing golf. A friend bought him golf clubs, and Lee Hun-pyung signed the prime minister up for a driving range located in Gangseo-gu, Seoul.
Over time, politicians took a softer stance on the sport. Prior to the presidential election, former president Kim Dae-jung pledged to expand public golf courses while insisting he never enjoyed the game himself. He promised to do so in order to win conservative voters with vested interests. It is said that Kim Dae-jung himself told Lee that he should play golf.
After two months hard training, he played an actual round for the first time, accompanied by former lawmaker Lee Hun-pyung and ex-Hankyoreh 21 reporter and former lawmaker Kim Sung-ho at the New Seoul Country Club in 1997.
After taking the first education minister position during the Kim Dae-jung administration, Lee had little time to enjoy the sport. I couldnt go golfing when I was minister, he said. Now that Ive returned to my party, it is good to play golf as much as I want.
He played in the company of people from the Kim Dae-jung administration like former supreme representative Kwon and former lawmaker Ahn Dong-sun. They went golfing up to three or four times a week, which helped Lee hone his skills. His best score was 80; he even made a hole-in-one once. Before becoming prime minister he scored about 80, but he now hits about a 90. His average driving distance is about 200 yards, and his specialties are putting and the short game. He is also well-known for playing by stringent rules. He used to bet small amounts during play, but he does not wager money in official settings with ministers.
Yong-Gwan Jung yongari@donga.com
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