The funeral for former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo, who passed away at the age of 92 on June 5, has concluded with a farewell ceremony and burial.
On June 8, a solemn farewell ceremony was held at the Seoul Asan Medical Center, culminating in a burial at Cheonan Park Cemetery.
The ceremony was presided over by Lee Jae-seung, head of the Institute of International Relations at Korea University, and featured tributes from Hong Seok-hyun, chairman of JoongAng Holdings; Chung Mong-joon, chairman of the Asan Foundation; and Yoo Hong-rim, president of Seoul National University, among other attendees.
In his tribute, Hong stated, "Today, we gather in profound sadness and emptiness to bid farewell to our esteemed mentor and elder statesman, Lee Hong-koo. He was an intellectual who criticized the system, far removed from the image of a chosen elite. He declined offers to become the ambassador to the U.S. during the Yushin era and foreign minister during the Fifth Republic, reflecting his uncompromising spirit."
Chung reminisced about his time as a student under Lee, recalling, "As a freshman at Seoul National University, I remember the tall and handsome professor who filled the lecture hall with humor. Through his lectures, I gained valuable insights into international affairs and the direction of our nation, teaching us wisdom essential for living, beyond mere knowledge."
Yoo also expressed his sorrow, stating, "Lee was my mentor who has imparted his teachings to me since I entered Seoul National University in 1980. The pain and regret of sending him to the world of eternal rest are immense. I believe that reflecting on the great teachings he left behind is a way for us, his students, to repay his kindness."
Born in 1934, Lee entered the Department of Public Administration at Seoul National University but dropped out the following year to study in the United States. He majored in philosophy at Emory University and earned his master's and doctoral degrees in political science from Yale University. He returned to Korea in 1968 and began teaching at Seoul National University the following year.
Lee embarked on a political career in 1988 when he was appointed Minister of National Unification. He served as a special political advisor to the president, ambassador to the United Kingdom, and held the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Unification during the Kim Young-sam administration, eventually becoming the 28th Prime Minister in 1994.
Notable attendees at Lee's funeral included former Prime Minister Jeong Un-chan, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-joong, former leader of the Bareunmirae Party 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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