‘Ordinary person’ Roh Tae-woo’s funeral Yeongmyeon at the 1988 Olympic Park (Comprehensive) – Cheonji Ilbo

[천지일보=명승일 기자] The late former President Roh Tae-woo entered eternal rest on the 30th after the observance of the national funeral ceremony at the Olympic Park Peace Plaza in Songpa-gu, Seoul. This is the second state funeral ceremony following the funeral of former President Kim Young-sam (YS) in 2015. On the last road of the deceased, the official theme song of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, ‘Hand in Hand’, rang as a tribute to the day.

The funeral ceremony for former President Roh Tae-woo was held for about an hour at the Olympic Park Peace Square from 11 am on the same day. The Armed Forces Symphony Orchestra played a suite, and the honor guard carried a coffin surrounded by a large Taegeukgi.

About 50 people including his wife Ok-sook Kim, his eldest daughter So-young Roh, director of the Art Center Nabi, and his eldest son Jae-heon Roh, a lawyer, as well as members of the funeral committee and major national figures attended the event to commemorate the deceased.

Considering the deceased’s wishes for a frugal funeral and the COVID-19 situation, the number of people attending the funeral was kept to a minimum, and many citizens who visited Olympic Park on the weekend watched the funeral in the vicinity of the venue.

Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom, chairman of the funeral, mentioned achievements such as the Seoul Olympics, Northern diplomacy, and land release in the investigation, but said, “It is true that I have made a huge mistake that cannot be erased in modern history.” He added, “The funeral ceremony is a place to mourn the deceased and a place to reflect on a new history, a history of truth, and a history of reconciliation and unity.”

Former Prime Minister Roh Jae-bong, who was with the deceased as the Chief of Staff of the President and Prime Minister, gave a tribute with tears in his eyes.

In his memorial service, former Prime Minister Roh said, “If I do not want the Olympics to be allowed, the International Olympic Committee’s office has been opened as a cry for my grave. ‘ he sobbed.

In addition, singer Insoon-i and tenor Im Woong-gyun sang ‘Hand in Hand’, the theme song for the 1988 Seoul Olympics as a tribute. Then, religious ceremonies were held in the order of Christianity, Buddhism, Catholicism, and Won Buddhism.

Prior to the funeral, the funeral ceremony was held at the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital in Hyehwa-dong, Seoul at 9 a.m. on the same day, with only 10 bereaved family members attending, including their children Jaeheon and Soyoung. Aides such as Kim Jong-in, who served as chief economic officer of the Roh Tae-woo government, and former chairman of the Emergency Response Committee for People’s Power, and former Minister Park Cheol-eon, who was called the ‘Sixth Prince’, were present in the procession to depart for Noje.

After the funeral, the bereaved family and the carriage drove about 8.8 km to reach their home in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu.

The labor ceremony held at the house in Yeonhui-dong, where the deceased stayed until just before he left, was modest. Kim Ok-sook, a woman with limited mobility, quietly welcomed her husband at home. There were four books, ‘Annals of the 6th Republic’, a bottle of water, a water bowl, and incense, all prepared for the Noje Foundation in the yard. The bereaved family took the portrait of the deceased and walked around the house slowly for 5 minutes, saying their final farewell at home.

Meanwhile, other passport dignitaries were largely absent from Roh’s funeral that day.

Song Young-gil, chairman of the Democratic Party, serves as an adviser to Roh’s funeral committee, but he did not attend the funeral due to ‘different schedules’. National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seok, an advisor to the funeral committee, also did not attend due to a schedule to visit the site of the National Assembly in Sejong City. Rep. Kim Min-seok, chairman of the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee, was removed from the funeral committee because he was “opposed to the head of state.”

Citizens joined former President Roh’s last path over the fence built to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). On this day, large and small disturbances arose as mourners commemorating former President Roh and civic groups against it gathered around the funeral hall. In addition, there was a disturbing atmosphere, with civic groups opposing the decision of the head of state confronting the police.

After the funeral, the procession of carriages headed to Seoul Memorial Park for cremation. The remains of the deceased are temporarily enshrined at Geomdansa Temple in Paju, Gyeonggi-do.

Copyright holder © Cheonji Ilbo – New Era Hope Press Prohibition of unauthorized reproduction and redistribution