 Former President Kim Dae-jung lays a white chrysanthemum for the late former President Roh Moo-hyun at an altar set up at Seoul Station in downtown Seoul, Thursday. Roh’s funeral will be held at Gyeongbok Palace at 11 a.m. / Yonhap |
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
Former President Kim Dae-jung was asked by the family of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun to deliver an address during Roh's funeral Friday, but it was blocked by the government, a Roh aide claimed Thursday.
``Former President Kim accepted an offer from Roh's family to give a memorial speech at the funeral, but it wasn't allowed by the government,'' Cheon Ho-seon, Roh's former spokesman, told reporters. ``Former Presidents Kim Young-sam, Chun Doo-hwan and Kim Dae-jung are expected to attend the funeral. The government said it was not fair to give only Kim Dae-jung a chance to deliver a speech.''
Cheon said Roh's family requested a speech from Kim because Roh and he shared values of democracy and human rights and pursued peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through closer ties with North Korea during their presidencies.
Upon hearing the news of Roh's suicide on Saturday at his hometown village of Bongha, South Gyeongsang Province, Kim lamented, ``It feels like I've lost half of myself.''
``It would be meaningful for Kim to speak in memory of Roh at the funeral, but the government thinks differently,'' Cheon said.
Police are staying on high alert for unexpected out-door rallies by supporters of the late Roh, and tension is expected to reach a peak Friday when Roh's funeral service is held at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul.
Thousands of riot police are expected to surround the venue anticipating a possible clash between different ideological groups.
jj@koreatimes.co.kr
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