South Korea Bids Farewell to Former PM Lee Hae-chan at State Funeral

South Korea on Saturday paid its final respects to former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, as senior political leaders, lawmakers, and mourners gathered in Seoul for his funeral ceremony. The solemn event marked the end of a five-day mourning period following Lee’s death at the age of 73 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a business trip to Vietnam.

The funeral ceremony was held at the National Assembly compound, with President Lee Jae Myung, First Lady Kim Hea Kyung, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok seated alongside the bereaved family. Leaders from across the political spectrum, including senior members of the ruling Democratic Party and representatives of smaller parties, were also in attendance, reflecting Lee’s broad influence on South Korea’s political landscape.

Speaking at the ceremony, Cho Jung-sik, special adviser to the president and head of the funeral committee, described Lee as “a great man of democracy” and “a politician who represented an era.” Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, delivering the eulogy, said the nation and its democratic institutions were deeply indebted to the former prime minister, recalling his sacrifices during South Korea’s authoritarian past.

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National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik also paid an emotional tribute, recalling their shared imprisonment in 1982 during pro-democracy protests. He described Lee Hae-chan as a living embodiment of South Korea’s democratic struggle, whose name, he said, had become synonymous with the country’s journey toward freedom and political maturity.

Lee Hae-chan was a central figure in South Korea’s democratic movement, having endured torture and imprisonment before going on to serve seven terms as a lawmaker and holding key advisory roles under several liberal presidents. He served as prime minister from 2004 to 2006 under President Roh Moo-hyun and, at the time of his death, was executive vice chairperson of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council. Following cremation, his ashes will be placed at an enshrinement hall in the central city of Sejong, closing a chapter on the life of one of South Korea’s most influential democratic leaders.

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