Hong Eun-hye, the wife of late Chief of Naval Operations Sohn Won-yil, passed away Wednesday. The funeral is being held at the Asan Medical Center in Seoul.

She was 100 years old and is survived by three sons -- Myung-won, Dong-won and Chang-won -- and grandchildren including Sohn Jung-hee, a ceramic sculptor and the wife of Herald Corp. Chairman Jungwook Hong.


Born in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province, in 1917, the deceased studied music at what later became Ewha Womans University, and married Sohn in 1939.

After her husband became the country’s first chief of naval operations in 1948, Hong dedicated her life to supporting the Republic of Korea Navy, earning the nickname “Navy’s mother.”

She played a leading role in raising funds for the country’s first combat vessel Baekdusan (PC-701) in 1949 and wrote a number of military songs still sung by Navy sailors.

During the 1950-53 Korean War, Hong volunteered at a naval hospital to care for the wounded. After the war, she operated various establishments to provide jobs and care for the families of Navy sailors who were killed in the war.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)