Leaders from both major political parties paid their respects on October 25 at the funeral of the late Choi Hyung-woo, a former Minister of Interior and a close ally of former President Kim Young-sam. Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party, and Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, will serve as co-chairs of the funeral committee.
Kim visited the funeral home at Samsung Medical Center in Gangnam, Seoul, to express his condolences. Afterward, he spoke to reporters, stating, "Former Minister Choi made significant contributions to democratization and worked hard to uphold the spirit of the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising and the May 18 movement. We must reflect together across party lines to honor the roots of democracy."
Jang also visited the funeral home with party leadership, including floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik. After paying his respects, Jang told reporters, "When I was first appointed to the Ministry of Education, he was the Minister of Interior. I remember him always taking the elevator with regular staff to communicate with us." He added, "As a politician and minister, he achieved many accomplishments and made significant efforts for political democratization in South Korea. I will strive to honor his legacy by working towards better politics that brings smiles to the people."
Choi was first elected to the National Assembly in 1971 as a member of the New Democratic Party, representing the Ulsan-Uljoo district, and served six terms as a lawmaker. He was a key figure in the Sangdo-dong faction close to Kim Young-sam, often referred to as "Left Dong-young, Right Hyung-woo" alongside former Minister of Political Affairs Kim Dong-young.
He lost his parliamentary seat during the military coup in 1980 and was subjected to torture by the military's security command. In 1981, he joined the Democratic Mountaineering Association founded by Kim Young-sam and became the secretary-general of the Council for the Promotion of Democratization in 1985, participating in the democratization movement.
Choi held various positions, including vice president of the New Democratic Party, senior vice president of the Democratic Party, and floor leader. After joining the Democratic Liberal Party formed by the merger of three parties in 1990, he served as Minister of Political Affairs and later as Minister of Interior under the Kim Young-sam administration. He was mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in 1997 but suffered a stroke and faced a long recovery.
Choi's funeral will be held over three days, starting from the previous day, with the burial scheduled for October 27 at the National 4.19 Democracy Cemetery.
Kim visited the funeral home at Samsung Medical Center in Gangnam, Seoul, to express his condolences. Afterward, he spoke to reporters, stating, "Former Minister Choi made significant contributions to democratization and worked hard to uphold the spirit of the Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising and the May 18 movement. We must reflect together across party lines to honor the roots of democracy."
Jang also visited the funeral home with party leadership, including floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik. After paying his respects, Jang told reporters, "When I was first appointed to the Ministry of Education, he was the Minister of Interior. I remember him always taking the elevator with regular staff to communicate with us." He added, "As a politician and minister, he achieved many accomplishments and made significant efforts for political democratization in South Korea. I will strive to honor his legacy by working towards better politics that brings smiles to the people."
Choi was first elected to the National Assembly in 1971 as a member of the New Democratic Party, representing the Ulsan-Uljoo district, and served six terms as a lawmaker. He was a key figure in the Sangdo-dong faction close to Kim Young-sam, often referred to as "Left Dong-young, Right Hyung-woo" alongside former Minister of Political Affairs Kim Dong-young.
He lost his parliamentary seat during the military coup in 1980 and was subjected to torture by the military's security command. In 1981, he joined the Democratic Mountaineering Association founded by Kim Young-sam and became the secretary-general of the Council for the Promotion of Democratization in 1985, participating in the democratization movement.
Choi held various positions, including vice president of the New Democratic Party, senior vice president of the Democratic Party, and floor leader. After joining the Democratic Liberal Party formed by the merger of three parties in 1990, he served as Minister of Political Affairs and later as Minister of Interior under the Kim Young-sam administration. He was mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in 1997 but suffered a stroke and faced a long recovery.
Choi's funeral will be held over three days, starting from the previous day, with the burial scheduled for October 27 at the National 4.19 Democracy Cemetery.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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