Veteran actor and former lawmaker Lee Soon-jae died Tuesday at the age of 91.

The veteran actor's agency said he died from pneumonia at around 2 a.m.

Lee was born in 1934 in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province, in present-day North Korea, and graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in philosophy.

He made his stage debut in 1956 with the play "Beyond the Horizon" and went on to become South Korea’s longest-serving active actor, working across television, film and theater for nearly seven decades.

Last year, Lee starred in the KBS drama "Dog Knows Everything" and received the grand prize at the KBS Drama Awards in January for his role in the comedy series.

He also performed in "Waiting for Godot" in October of last year, but withdrew due to health issues.