Lee Jong-wook
Lee Jong-wook (Hangul: 이종욱; 12 April 1945 – 22 May 2006) was a South Korean physician. He was the director-general of the World Health Organization for three years. Lee joined the WHO in 1983, working on a variety of projects including the Global Programme for Vaccines and Immunizations and Stop Tuberculosis. He began his term as director-general in 2004, and was the first figure from Korea to lead an international agency.
Lee Jong-wook 이종욱 | |
---|---|
![]() | |
6th Director-General of the World Health Organization | |
In office 21 July 2003 – 22 May 2006 | |
Preceded by | Gro Harlem Brundtland |
Succeeded by | Anders Nordström |
Personal details | |
Born | Keijō, Japanese Korea | 12 April 1945
Died | 22 May 2006 61) Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland | (aged
Resting place | Daejeon National Cemetery, Daejeon, South Korea |
Nationality | South Korean |
Alma mater | Hanyang University (B.E.) Seoul National University (MD) University of Hawaii (MMed) |
Profession | Physician |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 이종욱 |
---|---|
Hanja | 李鍾郁 |
Revised Romanization | I Jong-uk |
McCune–Reischauer | Yi Chong-uk |
In 2004, Lee was listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.[1]
Early life
Born on 12 April 1945 in what is now Seoul, South Korea.
Lee received a Bachelors in Engineering from Hanyang University, followed by a medical degree at Seoul National University, and a Master of Medicine at the University of Hawaii in public health. He is the third son in a family of six children; he has three brothers and two sisters. Two of his brothers are professors.
Lee took care of leprosy patients in Anyang, South Korea when he was studying medicine. There were few medical facilities set up at the time and he worked in a volunteer capacity. He met and later married Kaburaki Reiko, a Japanese woman who visited Korea in order to volunteer in the country.[2]
WHO career
He worked at the World Health Organization (WHO), at country, regional and headquarter levels for 23 years.[3] His work in WHO started in 1983 when he worked with leprosy in Fiji. He started his work as an advisor on leprosy, and later also treated tuberculosis and promoted the vaccination of children against preventable diseases.[4]
In 1994, Lee moved to Geneva to work at WHO headquarters as chief in prevention and vaccines. In 1995, he was nicknamed Vaccine Czar according to Scientific American.[5] Lee became official candidate for 6th director-generals of WHO.
- 1983–2006: Staff of WHO
- 1994–98: Director in Global Programme for Vaccines and Immunization, and Executive Secretary, Children's Vaccine Initiative
- 1998–99: Senior Policy Adviser to 5th General, Gro Harlem Brundtland
- 1999–2000: Special Representative of the Director-General
- 2003–2006: Director-General of WHO[6]
He had said that global efforts to control the HIV/AIDS pandemic would be the right course that would give meaning to his tenure as director-general of the agency.[7]
The 3 by 5 policy, which was the basic idea of Lee, was largely criticized by many concerned people. International AIDS Society president Joep Lange, had a comment that the project was "totally unrealistic". Médecins sans Frontières, also expressed similar reservations toward Lee's plan.[8]
He visited 60 countries in the three years of his Generalship including Darfur, Sudan, sites of the Indian Ocean tsunami, Madagascar, Mauritius.[9] He was famed as a man of action during this time. His adventurous spirit led him to "experience more, see more, and do more," said his son Tadahiro.[10]
Death and commemoration
He died on 22 May 2006, in intensive care unit of Geneva University Hospital, Switzerland, following emergency surgery for a blood clot in the brain (a subdural hematoma).[11] He had been preparing for UN general meetings when he fell ill at a weekend luncheon.[12]
Secretary General of United Nations at that time, Kofi Annan mentioned
The world has lost a great man today. He was a strong voice for the right of every man, woman, and child to health prevention and care, and advocated on behalf of the very poorest people.[13]
President George W. Bush of the United States said
Dr. Lee worked tirelessly to improve the health of millions of people, from combating tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS to his aggressive efforts to eradicate polio. He provided tremendous leadership to the international community as it confronted the challenges of the 21st century, including the threat of an influenza pandemic. Dr. Lee's outreach to world leaders and entities increased awareness of potentially devastating public health dangers.[14]
He was posthumously awarded the Hibiscus Cordon (Grand Cross) of the Order of Civil Merit by the South Korean government. He was survived by Reiko Kaburaki Lee; the couple has one son, Tadahiro Lee.[15] Reiko continues to volunteer in Peru helping poor women and children.[16]
Memorial award
The South Korean government officially announced the establishment of the a Memorial Prize in Lee's memory. After his death, You Si min, the Minister of Health and Welfare of the Republic of Korea, officially revealed the plans concerning the new awards and urged other nations and persons concerned to participate at a meeting of WHO in 2007.[17] Mr. Lee Sung-joo, who is permanent representative of the Republic of Korea, spoke of the award in Dr. Lee's memory to motivate and inspire young leaders aspiring to be the next Dr. Lee Jong-wook.[18]
Starting in 2009, the awards would be given for mainly the fields "young leadership" and "contributor of health management" (especially for epidemics) at the annual assembly of WHO, which takes place in May each year.[19]
See also
References
- "TIME Magazine: TIME 100: Jong-Wook Lee". Archived from the original on 16 May 2007.
- Emperor of Vaccines Busan Ilbo (KOR) 24 May 2006 http://www.busanilbo.com/news2000/html/2006/0524/040020060524.103011%5B%5D
- In Memoriam Lee Jong-wook 24 May 2006 "In Memoriam: Lee Jong-wook". Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
- "Obituary: Dr Lee Jong-wook". 22 May 2006. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- 옳다고 생각하면 행동하라 p. 200 written by Kwon Joon Wook
- "Dr Lee Jong-Wook". The Independent. 23 May 2006. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- "WHO chief dies after blood clot". 22 May 2006. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- "The Times & The Sunday Times". www.thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- "Dr Lee Jong-Wook". The Independent. 23 May 2006. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- Official page of WHO ihttp://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2006/np12/en/index.html
- Altman, Lawrence K. (22 May 2006). "W.H.O. Chief Undergoes Emergency Brain Surgery". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- WHO chief Lee Jong-Wook dies suddenly Turkishpress.com 22 May 2006 (AFP) http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=124783
- Dr. Lee Jong Wook – WHO chief, enabled AIDS care for the poor SFGate of San Francisco http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/23/BAGRJJ0GH11.DTL&type=health
- Official page of White House https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060522-2.html
- "Lee Jong-Wook". www.nndb.com.
- Mr.Lee's dowager, Reiko 故 이종욱 전 WHO총장 미망인 레이코 여사 13 November 2006 http://news.mk.co.kr/newsRead.php?no=483129&year=2006
- You si min, going to organize awards memorizing Dr. Lee 유시민 복지 "고 이종욱 총장 기념상 만들겠다" 16 May 2007 http://mbn.mk.co.kr/news/newsRead.php?vodCode=211296&category=mbn00008
- Tribute to Dr Lee Jong-wook "WHO | Tribute to Dr LEE Jong-wook". Archived from the original on 15 January 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2008.
- Arirang TV New Award to Honor Late WHO Chief Lee Jongwook 14 May 2007 http://www.arirangtv.com/News/News_View.asp?code=Ne6&nseq=71148
External links
![](../I/Wikiquote-logo.svg.png.webp)
- WHO biography
- WHO statement on the death of Lee Jong-wook
- Dr. Lee Jong-wook elected Director-General – International Chronicle
- Appearances on C-SPAN