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Lee Se Geun (Korean:이세근;Hanja:李世根; 1917–1990) was a South Korean dentist, military medical officer, administrator, philanthropist, and civic leader. He is best known for establishing one of the first private public health centers in post-liberation Korea, serving as a decorated military surgeon during the Korean War, serving as Head of the Public Health Division for North Chungcheong Province, and leading major regional welfare and development initiatives. He was also known by his art nameSeogam (석암;石庵).
Lee Se Geun was born in 1917 in Yongjeong-dong, Cheongju, Korea, Empire of Japan. He was the eldest son of Lee Yoon-young (이윤용) and a mother from the Yeoheung Min clan (여흥 민씨), and a 17th-generation descendant of Prince Gyeongnyeong (경녕군) of the Wansan Lee clan. His grandfather, Lee Hee-jin (이희진), had served as a high-ranking official (Gaseondaebu, 가선대부/嘉善大夫)[1].
Following the liberation of Korea in 1945, rural communities faced severe shortages of basic healthcare infrastructure. In 1947, Lee utilized his personal funds to establish one of South Korea's first private public health centers in Yongjeong-ri, Gangseo-myeon, Cheongwon-gun(now Gangseo-dong, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si)[1][2][3]. Operating outside of standard government systems, Lee traveled from his urban practice in Cheongju to the rural center every evening to treat underserved residents free of charge until the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950[1][2][3].
Following his military discharge in 1957, Lee transitioned into formal administrative leadership, serving as the Head of the Public Health Division for North Chungcheong Province from January 1960 to August 1962[1][2][3].
With the outbreak of the Korean War, Lee was captured by North Korean forces during their advance through Cheongju and forcibly relocated toward Gimcheon to provide medical support[1][4] During his abduction, he risked his life to smuggle medicine to sick villagers unable to flee, eventually making a harrowing escape alongside Yoon Jungho (Practicing Physician, Minjoong Hospital)[1][2][3].
After rejoining Allied forces upon the recovery of Seoul, Lee was commissioned as a medical officer in the Republic of Korea Army, ultimately attaining the rank of Dental Lieutenant Colonel before his discharge in 1957[1][2][3]. Assigned to front-line and rear army hospitals, he specialized in treating severe maxillofacial and combat trauma among wounded soldiers. His contributions to establishing oral health care and administrative protocols within the armed forces earned him the Chungmu Order of Military Merit.[1][2][5]
Following his military and provincial service, Lee returned to Cheongju and played a foundational role in organizing regional professional and civic bodies, including serving as the inaugural president of the North Chungcheong Dental Association. [3][6][7][8] Historical records from dental history archives and regional social development organization records document his leadership and contributions to the institutional growth of community initiatives in post-liberation South Korea.[3][6][7][9]
Beyond his medical practice, Lee engaged in extensive philanthropic and civic activities:
Land Redistribution (1948): In 1948, prior to official national land reform acts, Lee distributed his inherited family land in Cheongwon-gun to local tenant farmers at half the prevailing market price.[1][2][3] Although many impoverished farmers were unable to pay the full amount, he did not hold them liable.[1][2][3]
Lions Clubs International: Lee served as District Governor for Lions Clubs International (District 309-H / District 356-D), leading and shaping the leadership history of organized regional service initiatives in North Chungcheong Province.[1][2][3][9] During his tenure, he secured 56 jeongbo of forest land in Suanbo-myeon, Chungju, to establish the "North Chungcheong Lions Development Forest," creating a self-sustaining endowment for regional welfare projects.[1]
Musimcheon Cherry Blossom and Embankment Restoration: In the early 1970s, during the tenure of Cheongju Mayor Chae Dong-hwan, Lee personally procured 1,000 cherry blossom saplings using private and organizational resources to restore local green spaces. [10][11] To execute the planting, he partnered with a Saemaul teacher at Unho High School, organizing students and staff for volunteer tree planting.[10][11] Supported by administrative backing from Cheongju City, this project became a landmark early model of public–private–academic collaboration (민·학·관 협력).[10][11] As Chairman of the North Chungcheong Civil Organization Council, Lee also spearheaded key infrastructure efforts to pave the embankment along the Musimcheon Stream and integrated environmental efforts by organizing permanent flood relief networks along the Musimcheon and Mihocheon river basins.[1][2][3]
One of the renderings of the former Cheongnamgyo ("Flower Bridge," 꽃다리), which was demolished. Photograph taken by Jaehyun Yi of an old rendering preserved by a descendant of Lee Se-keun.[12]One of the renderings of the former Cheongnamgyo ("Flower Bridge," 꽃다리), which was demolished. Photograph taken by Jaehyun Yi of an old rendering preserved by a descendant of Lee Se-keun.[13]Cheongnamgyo ("Flower Bridge") Spatial and Landscape Planning: Lee played a pivotal role in the urban aesthetic and landscape development of Cheongnamgyo (commonly known as "Flower Bridge," Korean: 꽃다리), a key bridge spanning the Musimcheon River that connects Seokgyo-dong and Mochung-dong.[14] Local historical encyclopedias and municipal records document Cheongnamgyo's construction and its integration into the urban fabric of Cheongju, noting how the bridge earned its iconic nickname "Flower Bridge" through dedicated landscaping initiatives[14]. When a new bridge structure was built in the late 1960s, Lee participated in conceptualizing and designing its spatial layout, integrating flower beds along the structure. Surviving primary artifacts—including detailed architectural renderings depicting the landscaped environment—provide direct visual evidence of Lee's early involvement.[12][13]
The renderings of the former Gadeok Public Cemetery Office and Charnel house ("가덕공원묘지 관리소 납골당 조감도). Photograph taken by Jaehyun Yi of an old rendering preserved by a descendant of Lee Segeun.[15]Regional Infrastructure, Social Welfare, and Cultural Philanthropy: As Head of the North Chungcheong Civil Organization Council, Head of the Human Rights Protection Committee, and Delegate/Steering Committee member of the National Unification Conference, Lee spearheaded major regional projects.[1][2][3] Serving for over ten years as Chairman of the Provincial Advisory Committee (도정자문위원장), he co-led the April 1980 province-wide movement to elevate Cheongju University to a comprehensive university alongside media leaders like Chungcheong Ilbo Managing Editor Lee Sang-hoon, successfully petitioning top national officials.[16]. His other initiatives included establishing the Gadeok Public Cemetery[15], leading regional social development programs, raising a 4 billion KRW North Chungcheong Development Fund (충청북도개발기금 40억 원 조성)[1][2], and donating historical family heirlooms to the Chungbuk National University Museum.[17][18]
↑이, 소영 (2011). "충북대학교 박물관"[Chungbuk National University Museum]. 한국민족문화대백과사전[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture] (in Korean). 한국학중앙연구원. Retrieved 2026-09-06.
↑"충북대학교박물관 블로그" (in Korean). CBNUM (충북대학교박물관). Retrieved 2026-09-13.
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