in 2012. Lee graduated from
Gwangju Jeil High School, where he excelled in baseball, leading his team to the
Cheongryonggi championship as a senior. He burst onto the KBO scene as a rookie shortstop in 1993, leading the league in runs, stealing 73 bases, being named to the All-Star team, winning a
Golden Glove Award, and leading the Tigers to the
Korean Series championship. During the Series, Lee hit .313 (9 hits in 29 at-bats) with three steals, and was given the
Korean Series Most Valuable Player Award. His sophomore season was just as impressive, as he hit .393 (second all-time in the KBO to
Baek In-chun, who hit .412 in 1982), led the league in hits and runs, and stole a league-record 84 bases. In 1996, Lee led the league in runs and again won a Golden Glove. The Tigers prevailed in the Korean Series, with Lee again receiving the series MVP award. Lee had a "30-70 season" in 1997, in which he hit 30 home runs and stole more than 70 bases (73 in total). He led the league in runs, picked up another Golden Glove, and his Tigers again won the KBO championship. Lee moved to the
NPB in 1998, playing for the
Chunichi Dragons from 1998 to 2001. Over four seasons in the NPB, Lee hit a disappointing .261 with a total of 27 home runs, 99 RBI, and 53 stolen bases (he was also
hit by a pitch and broke his elbow in 1998). Over his KBO career, he accumulated 510 stolen bases (second all-time to
Jeon Jun-ho), winning four Gold Gloves as a shortstop and two as an outfielder, and never missing a single All Star Game during his professional career in Korea. == Post-playing career ==