Lee Nak-yeon Apologizes for Illegal Judgment on Late Father's Grave, Promises to Expedite Reburial...

Lee Nak-yeon, Chair of the Democratic Party's COVID-19 National Crisis Overcoming Committee, is drinking water during the joint meeting of the Democratic Party-Democratic Citizens' Party Election Countermeasures Committee held at the Democratic Party Gyeonggi Province Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of the 1st.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 1st, Lee Nak-yeon, Chair of the Democratic Party of Korea's COVID-19 National Crisis Overcoming Committee, apologized, saying, "I will pay the fine as prescribed by law and promptly relocate the grave," after the county office judged that his late father's grave in Yeonggwang, Jeollanam-do was illegal.

On the same day, Lee posted on his Facebook, "My father passed away in 1991, and we buried him in a field owned by my younger brother in our hometown. Then, when my mother passed away the year before last, we honored her will by burying her next to my father," adding, "but I recently learned from the authorities that this was illegal."

He continued, "Our family does not have a traditional family burial site. We never thought that burying my mother next to my father's grave in the field from nearly 30 years ago would be a problem."

Then, Lee apologized, saying, "I apologize for not examining the matter more thoroughly. I will pay closer attention to all surrounding matters."

Lee had established his father's grave in 1991 in a field owned by his younger brother in Beopseong-myeon, Yeonggwang-gun, his hometown, and also buried his mother there, who passed away in 2018.

At that time, after his mother's funeral, Lee posted on Facebook, "We buried my mother in a small corner of the field in our hometown that she had cultivated all her life," adding, "The land soaked with her lifelong sweat, tears, sighs, and hopes. She lies next to my father's grave, which was established 27 years ago. It is a grave without a tombstone or altar. Still, I believe it is the place most familiar and comfortable to my parents."