Lee Geun-an, ‘torture technician’ of military era, dies at 88: report

Lee Geun-an, a former police officer and the infamous “torture technician” of South Korea’s authoritarian regimes in the 1970s and ’80s, died Wednesday at the age of 88, according to local media.

Lee Geun-an speaks to reporters at an event marking the publication of his autobiography in this file photo dated Dec. 14, 2012. (Newsis)

Gyeonggi Ilbo reported Thursday that Lee died at a nursing home in Seoul, where he had been receiving treatment after his health deteriorated. He had been living alone prior to his admission, the newspaper said.

Lee's name was synonymous with state violence, notably for the torture of pro-democracy activists and dissidents, including the late liberal politician Kim Geun-tae. In later life, he claimed to have repented and went on to become a pastor, but victims and civic groups continued to question his sincerity, particularly after he described his past actions as “an act of patriotism” in his autobiography.

Born in 1938, Lee joined the police force in 1970 and quickly rose through the ranks for his active role in coercive interrogations. His use of torture — including electric shocks — only ended after the country’s democratization in 1987.

He was placed on a wanted list in 1988 and remained a fugitive for 12 years before surrendering in 1999. He was later convicted of torture and illegal detention and sentenced to seven years in prison, a ruling upheld by the Supreme Court.

Many of the cases he was involved in were later retried, with courts acknowledging that confessions had been obtained through torture. He was also found partly liable for state compensation paid to victims.