"Sent Early at Acquaintance's Request," Seoul City Explains
Over 100 Flower Wreaths from Celebrities Including Seol Woon-do and Tae Jin-ah
Politicians Quickly Remove Them Amid Controversy
Shin Sang-hyun, the boss of the 'Shinsangsa faction' that dominated Myeongdong, Seoul in the 1970s, passed away on the 10th, and a mourning flag bearing the name of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was placed at his funeral hall but was quickly removed, causing controversy. On the 10th, more than 100 condolence wreaths sent by various figures lined up in front of Shin’s funeral hall set up at Seoul Asan Medical Center.
Shin Sang-hyun (92), the boss of the 'Shinsangsa faction' that dominated Myeongdong, Seoul in the 1970s, passed away around 5 a.m. on the 10th. At the funeral hall of Seoul Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul, where the deceased's wake was held, visitors and wreaths sent from various sectors lined up on the 11th. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Jo Yang-eun, the boss of the 'Yang Eun faction' who clashed with the Shinsangsa faction in incidents such as the 1975 'Savoy Hotel raid,' also sent a wreath under the name 'Missionary Jo Yang-eun.' Notably, a mourning flag inscribed with 'Condolences (謹弔)' under the name 'Seoul Special Mayor Oh Se-hoon' was also placed. The Seoul city government, concerned about the controversy over sending a mourning flag to the funeral hall of a notorious gangster, had the flag removed late in the afternoon on the 11th through funeral hall staff. After the flag was removed, gangsters visiting the funeral hall protested, saying, "Why are you removing the mourning flag before the funeral is even over?" Shin’s funeral procession is scheduled for the afternoon of the 12th.
Re-shooting of the cover of the memoir "How Can You Pick Flowers with a Fist" by Shin Sang-hyun, who passed away on the 10th. [Photo by Yonhap News]
A Seoul city official stated, "The mourning flag was sent at the request of an acquaintance of Mayor Oh, and even his closest aides were unaware of this. Since there was no direct connection with Mayor Oh and concerns were raised about the inappropriate placement, it was retrieved. We will manage the handling of mourning flags more strictly in the future."
The deceased was known as a 'national-level thug' along with Kim Du-han, Lee Jung-jae, and Sirasoni (real name Lee Sung-soon), active around Myeongdong in the 1970s. Born in 1932 in Gwan-su-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, he earned the nickname 'Shinsangsa' due to his service as a first sergeant in a special unit in Daegu, from which he was discharged in 1953. In 1954, he moved to Seoul and established his base near the Jungang Theater in Myeongdong, becoming the boss of the 'Shinsangsa faction.' After retirement, he was known to have been involved in the foreign car business. Over 1,500 mourners visited the funeral hall by that day. The police deployed about 50 plainclothes officers throughout the funeral hall to prepare for any possible incidents.
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