The funeral for former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo, who passed away at 92 on May 5, concluded with a farewell ceremony and burial.
On the morning of May 8, a solemn farewell ceremony took place at the Seoul Asan Medical Center, followed by the burial at Cheonan Park Cemetery, marking the end of the funeral proceedings.
The ceremony was led by Lee Jae-seung, head of the Korea University Institute of International Relations, and included tributes from Hong Seok-hyun, chairman of JoongAng Holdings; Chung Mong-joon, chairman of the Asan Social Welfare Foundation; and Yoo Hong-rim, president of Seoul National University, among others.
In his tribute, Hong expressed, "Today, we gather in profound sadness to bid farewell to our esteemed mentor and elder statesman, Lee Hong-koo. He was an intellectual who criticized the system, far from the image of a chosen elite. He declined offers for ambassador and foreign minister positions during the Yushin era and the Fifth Republic due to his uncompromising spirit."
Chung reminisced about his time as a student under Lee, recalling, "As a freshman at Seoul National University, I remember the large crowds drawn to his humorous lectures. His teachings provided invaluable insights into international affairs and the direction of our nation, imparting wisdom beyond mere knowledge."
Yoo also reflected, stating, "Lee was my mentor since I entered Seoul National University in 1980, and I feel a deep sense of loss sending him to the eternal world. Remembering his profound teachings is how we can repay his kindness."
Born in 1934, Lee entered the Seoul National University College of Law but dropped out the following year to study in the United States. He earned a degree in philosophy from Emory University and a master's and doctorate in political science from Yale University before returning to Korea in 1968 to join the faculty at Seoul National University.
Lee began his political career in 1988 as the Minister of Unification, later serving as a special advisor to the president, ambassador to the UK, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Unification under the Kim Young-sam administration, before becoming the 28th Prime Minister in 1994.
Notable attendees at the funeral included former Prime Minister Jeong Un-chan, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung, former Bareunmirae Party leader Son Hak-kyu, People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Young-se, British Ambassador to South Korea Colin Crooks, Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Mizushima, and Kim Hyun-chul, chairman of the Kim Young-sam Foundation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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