In Front of the Funeral Hall Crowded with Citizens
Protests Against State Funeral Continue
Kim Bu-gyeom: "A Place to Mourn the Deceased and Reflect"
The Remains Temporarily Placed at Paju Geomdanssa
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] The funeral ceremony for the late former President Roh Tae-woo was held at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, where citizens gathered from the morning to pay their respects. Although access was controlled, when the hearse entered the Peace Plaza at 11 a.m., the footsteps of the citizens followed along. A woman in her 60s who came with a friend to observe the state funeral said, "He was still a good person, so a state funeral is being held." However, criticism of his faults continued until the end. Outside the funeral hall that day, a small protest was held opposing the state funeral for Roh Tae-woo, the perpetrator of the Gwangju massacre and the military coup.
The funeral ceremony lasted about an hour. Reflecting the COVID-19 quarantine situation and the deceased's wish for a modest funeral, the event was held with minimal personnel and controlled access. The funeral committee consisted of 352 members, with Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum as chairman, and advisors including the five branch heads, party leaders, and religious organization representatives. Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, also attended and paid respects. Former emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in, who served as economic chief during the Roh Tae-woo administration and stayed at the funeral hall for four days, and former lawmaker Park Cheol-eon, known as the 'Crown Prince of the 6th Republic,' also joined the final farewell.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, who chaired the funeral committee, said in his eulogy, "Today’s funeral is a place to mourn the deceased and also a moment for reflection toward a new history, a history of truth, reconciliation, and unity." He added, "I hope the bereaved family will not forget the meaning of the state funeral and the hearts of the people today, and continue the apology that the deceased could not make himself. That is the path for the deceased and an essential task for the long journey of our national history."
After laying flowers, the widow Kim Ok-sook showed tears, overwhelmed with grief. Then, singer Insooni and tenor Im Ong-gyun performed the memorial song, the theme of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, "Son-e Sonjapgo" (Hand in Hand).
Ruling party figures did not attend the funeral ceremony, seemingly mindful of the opposition from ruling party lawmakers in the Gwangju region against the state funeral honors. Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, visited the late president’s funeral hall to pay respects and served as an advisor to the funeral committee but did not attend the ceremony. Chief spokesperson Ko Yong-jin explained to reporters after the party’s supreme council meeting the day before, "I have a scheduled trip to Jeonbuk that was arranged well before the funeral," as the reason for his absence. Presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung also paid respects but stated, "I believe I have done all I can through my condolences," indicating his intention not to attend.
The deceased’s remains will be cremated and enshrined at Geomdanssa Temple in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Although the burial site is planned to be the Unification Hill in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, as requested by the family, the graveyard construction will take time, so the remains will be temporarily placed at Geomdanssa.
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