Mourning Line Continues on Second Day at Late Mayor Park Won-soon's Funeral Hall... Son Park Ju-seon Returning to Korea

Cardinal Yeom Su-jeong and Professor Choi Jang-jip Offer Condolences

Cardinal Yeom Su-jeong is receiving condolences at the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital, the resting place of the late Mayor Park Won-soon, on the morning of the 11th, and answering questions from reporters.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] On the 11th, visitors continued to pay their respects at the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital in Yeongeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the late Mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon, was laid in repose.

Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul, visited the funeral hall that day to offer condolences and comfort the bereaved family.

Cardinal Yeom said, "Mayor Park took care of Seoul as the Mayor of Seoul, so we prayed together and helped each other for Seoul to prosper," adding, "It is truly regrettable that he suddenly passed away." He also said, "I offered condolences to the family and prayed for the deceased."

Professor Emeritus Choi Jang-jip of Korea University, known to have been close to Mayor Park, met with reporters after paying respects and said, "I was very shocked," adding, "There was still so much to do, he really didn’t have to do this..." and trailed off. Regarding the sexual harassment allegations against Mayor Park, he said, "I believe he answered everything through his death," and added, "That is why I came to pay my respects."

Chairman Chung Mong-joon of the Asan Foundation, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mi, Mayor of Incheon Park Nam-chun, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business Kim Ki-moon, and Acting Mayor of Seoul (First Deputy Mayor for Administration) Seo Jeong-hyeop also visited the funeral hall that day.

Following the visits by Harry Harris, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, and Koji Tomita, Japanese Ambassador to Korea, on the first day the funeral hall was set up, diplomatic envoys from other countries also visited the funeral hall from the morning of that day.

Currently, Member of the National Assembly Park Hong-geun of the Democratic Party of Korea, known as Mayor Park’s close aide, is serving as the chief mourner and is staying with the bereaved family at the funeral hall.

Meanwhile, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Park Won-soon’s son, Park Ju-shin, who has been staying overseas, is returning to South Korea to attend the funeral. He is expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport in the afternoon.

Park Ju-shin has been residing in the United Kingdom since 2012. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, overseas arrivals are required to undergo a mandatory two-week self-quarantine. However, if they test negative at Incheon Airport and are attending the funeral of a direct family member or sibling of themselves or their spouse, they may be exempted from self-quarantine.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the bereaved family have decided to hold the funeral as a five-day Seoul Metropolitan City funeral (葬), but specific funeral procedures have not yet been finalized.

The funeral hall only allows visits from Mayor Park’s acquaintances and family members, and visits from the press or the general public are prohibited.