From the Chinese perspective, Korea ranks about third or fourth in terms of trading volume and about third in terms of investment.

He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. He promised to seek a Korean Economic Community agreement to establish the legal and systemic framework for any projects emerging from the negotiations. S.

He ended his five-year term on February 25 2013 and was succeeded by Park Geun-hye. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk a South Korean politician. Lee altered the South Korean government's approach to North Korea preferring a more hardline strategy in the wake of increased provocation from the North though he was supportive of regional dialogue with Russia China and Japan.