President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday paid his respects to the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, his political mentor, personally conferring the country’s highest civilian honor.
Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung, clad in black, knelt to burn incense and observed a moment of silence after laying flowers before the deceased’s portrait at the memorial altar at Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul.
The President later posthumously awarded Lee Hae-chan, the seven-term lawmaker, the Mugunghwa Medal of the Order of Civil Merit, the highest class of the order, and placed it on the altar before the portrait.
The Order of Civil Merit is bestowed on individuals who have made distinguished contributions to national development and the improvement of public welfare in fields including politics, the economy, society, education and academia.
Lee Hae-chan served as education minister under President Kim Dae-jung from 1998 to 1999, prime minister under President Roh Moo-hyun from 2004 to 2006, and leader of the Democratic Party of Korea in two separate stints — in 2012 and from 2018 to 2020.
The president offered condolences to each bereaved family member, shaking hands and gently placing a hand on their shoulders in comfort. Lee was seen taking out a handkerchief and wiping away tears.
Kim embraced family members, conveying her sympathy and wiping tears from her eyes.
Lee also greeted figures gathered in the chief mourner’s area — including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Democratic Party leader Rep. Jung Chung-rae, Cho Kuk of the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party, former Health Minister and liberal commentator Rhyu Si-min, and special adviser to the president for political affairs Rep. Cho Jung-sik — before moving to a separate reception room.
A steady stream of political figures, including former President Moon Jae-in, and citizens paid their respects throughout the day, the first of a five-day public funeral running through Saturday.
Lee Hae-chan collapsed at an airport in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday while traveling to attend a regional advisory committee meeting in his capacity as executive vice chair of the presidential Peaceful Unification Advisory Council. Lee was transferred to a hospital, where doctors restored his heartbeat, but he died Sunday in Vietnam.
dagyumji@heraldcorp.com
