President Lee Jae-myung and Former President Moon Jae-in Paid Their Respects Yesterday
Today, Mong-jun Chung, Ban Ki-moon, and Sohn Kyung-shik Visit the Funeral Hall
On January 28, the second day since the funeral hall for the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan was set up, a steady stream of mourners continued to pay their respects. Political figures who rarely appeared in public, as well as leaders from the business and religious communities, came to bid a final farewell to the late Prime Minister.
Mong-jun Chung, Honorary Chairman of the Asan Nanum Foundation, is paying his respects at the funeral hall set up for the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 28th. Photo by Joint Press Corps
Sohn Kyung-shik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (left), and Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, are paying their respects at the funeral hall of the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, set up at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 28th. Photo by Joint Press Corps
Sung Kim, President of Hyundai Motor Company, is paying his respects at the funeral hall set up for the late Lee Hae-chan, former Prime Minister, at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 27th. Photo by Joint Press Corps
Mong-jun Chung, Honorary Chairman of the Asan Nanum Foundation, met with reporters at the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 28th. He said, "Former Prime Minister Lee was always interested in new fields and studied diligently, so I learned a lot from him during my time in the National Assembly. We worked closely together in the National Assembly since the 13th National Assembly, so it is shocking to hear this sudden news. I wish him peace in the afterlife."
From the business community, Sohn Kyung-shik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation, Kim Ki-moon, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, Seo Jung-jin, Chairman of Celltrion, and Sung Kim, President of Hyundai Motor Company, visited the funeral hall to express their condolences.
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is paying his respects at the funeral hall set up for the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 28th. Photo by Joint Press Corps
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also expressed his sorrow, stating, "It is heartbreaking that he passed away so early. Politics have made great progress, and the economy must continue to advance, but I feel we have lost a great leader."
Reflecting on the late Prime Minister, he added, "What impressed me deeply was in January 2005, when a massive tsunami struck Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia. Former Prime Minister Lee led many volunteers to the site, emphasizing, 'This is now the responsibility of Korea.' While serving as UN Secretary-General, I learned a lot by observing what he did on the ground during crises and disasters."
President Lee Jae-myung is paying his respects at the funeral hall set up for the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 27th. Photo by Yonhap News
Kwon Yangsuk is paying her respects at the funeral hall set up for the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 27th. Photo by Joint Press Corps
The previous day, President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung visited the funeral hall late in the afternoon. Dressed in black, the presidential couple laid flowers in front of the portrait and knelt in tribute. President Lee then posthumously awarded the Order of Civil Merit, Mugunghwa Medal, in honor of the late Prime Minister's achievements. The Mugunghwa Medal is the highest class of the Order of Civil Merit, awarded to individuals who have contributed to the improvement of public welfare and national development in the fields of politics, economy, society, education, and academia.
Former President Moon Jae-in and his wife also joined the line of mourners on the first day the funeral hall was open. They stayed at the funeral hall for about 50 minutes, offering comfort to the bereaved family and other mourners. On the same day, Kwon Yangsuk, wife of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, also visited the funeral hall and embraced grieving family members. From the People Power Party, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Joo Ho-young, Assemblyman Kim Dae-sik, Assemblyman Yoon Sang-hyun, and Assemblyman Kim Sung-tae visited the funeral hall to express their condolences.
The funeral will be held as an official and social ceremony for five days, from the previous day until January 31. The funeral procession is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. on January 31.
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