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| A hearse carrying the coffin of late CJ Group Honorary Chairman Lee Maeng-hee is taken into the CJ Leadership Center in central Seoul where his funeral was held Thursday morning. / Yonhap |
By Park Si-soo
CJ Group has been accused of discriminating against mourners for its late honorary chairman Lee Maeng-hee, who was laid to rest on Thursday.
Scores of well-known figures were given quick access to the altar at Seoul National University Hospital and were greeted by Lee's family during the five-day mourning period. In contrast, ordinary mourners, including some who introduced themselves as being close to the deceased, were denied access by CJ officials and security guards.
Mourners said that CJ justified its actions with an absurd reason ― those denied access had not made a reservation.
Making a reservation to pay condolences is extremely rare in Korea. Memorial altars for numerous late tycoons and political leaders in the past were left open to people from all walks of life.
When Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chull, father of Maeng-hee, passed away in 1987, a hospital chamber with his memorial altar and coffin was left open to the public.
According to people at the scene, black-suited guards stood at a gate leading to the chamber with the memorial altar.
They cordially greeted well-known figures and escorted them to the chamber, while they gave ordinary mourners a cold reception and blocked their entry asking "Did you make a reservation?"
"Those who answered ‘no' to the question were not able to enter," a reporter at the scene recounted. "Some of the people insisted they had a close relationship with the late tycoon and were allowed in, but it was only a few."
On Wednesday at 2 p.m., an unidentified man came to the hospital and tried to enter the chamber, but was denied by the security guards. The man tried to demonstrate his relationship with the deceased, but gave up eventually.
"I cannot understand why," he told reporters at the scene.
A CJ spokesman said there was no reservation policy in place, adding that acquaintances of Lee were greeted in the same way as VIP guests.
"There was no discrimination," the spokesman said. "We cordially greeted all mourners that had proven personal ties with the deceased."
He said that those without personal ties were asked to pay their condolences at another memorial altar set up at the CJ Leadership Center in central Seoul.
Meanwhile, CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun did not attend his father's funeral for health reasons. The oldest son of the deceased was hospitalized at the same hospital to treat complications from his kidney transplant operation in 2013. Instead, he came to the chamber twice on Wednesday night using a wheelchair to bid a final farewell to his father.
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