Former Prime Minister No Jae-bong of the Roh Tae-woo Government Passes Away at Age 88

Former Chief Secretary to the Blue House and National Assembly Member
Condolence Speech at Roh Tae-woo's Funeral
Some Mourned Shouting 'Gakha'

Former Prime Minister and Chief of Staff to the Blue House during the Roh Tae-woo administration, former Prime Minister No Jae-bong, has passed away at the age of 88.

According to acquaintances of former Prime Minister No on the 24th, he passed away at 10:10 p.m. the previous day at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. It is reported that former Prime Minister No had been battling blood cancer for the past year.

Former Prime Minister No was an international political scientist who graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in political science and earned a Ph.D. in political science from New York University in the United States. He served as an assistant professor at Armstrong State University in the U.S. before nurturing students at Seoul National University.

His connection with former President Roh began in 1987. At that time, he served as an advisor to Roh Tae-woo, then leader of the Democratic Justice Party, and was involved in drafting the "June 29 Declaration," which accepted demands for a direct presidential election system. In 1988, he briefly left the university podium after causing controversy with his statement that "the Gwangju incident occurred due to the skillful political tactics of Kim Dae-jung's outer circle."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Six months later, he was appointed special political advisor to the president and began assisting President Roh. In 1990, he was appointed Chief of Staff to the President. At that time, he was deeply involved in the "Northern Policy," which established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and other communist countries in succession.

In 1991, he was appointed the 22nd Prime Minister, but after Myungji University student Kang Kyung-dae lost his life due to indiscriminate assault during protest suppression, he expressed his intention to resign and stepped down in May of the same year, just four months later.

Afterwards, he served as a member of the 14th National Assembly and was active as a party affairs committee member and advisor in the Democratic Liberal Party. He also served as a liberal arts professor at Myungji University and president of Seoul Digital University. Even after retirement, he led study groups with his disciples and civil society activists and was active as a senior conservative figure. Some regarded him as a "hardline conservative."

He left behind works such as "Political Dialogue" in 2015 and "Korean Liberal Democracy and Its Enemies" in 2018. In October 2021, he read a eulogy at former President Roh’s funeral, repeatedly addressing him as "Your Excellency" in mourning.

Surviving family members include his wife Ji Yeon-wol (88), daughter Mora (62), and son Jin (57). Former Prime Minister No’s funeral hall will be set up at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. The funeral procession will take place on the morning of the 27th.