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| President Park Geun-hye expresses her condolences at a memorial altar for former President Kim Young-sam in Seoul National University Hospital, Monday. / Yonhap |
By Kang Seung-woo, Kim Hyo-jin
President Park Geun-hye offered her condolences over the death of former President Kim Young-sam at his altar in Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), Monday.
Kim, whose presidency ran from 1993 to 1998, died of a blood infection and heart failure early Sunday.
Park went to SNUH just hours after she returned from her 10-day overseas trip that included summits of the G-20 and the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
While attending the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Park was informed of Kim's death and mourned the former head of state. Also, she approved Kim's state funeral that she is also expected to attend, Thursday.
"The government will prepare for the state funeral with respect," Park told the former President's son, Kim Hyun-chul.
In response, Kim's son expressed gratitude to Park for visiting the memorial altar.
Although Park paid her respects to Kim upon arriving and approved his state funeral, these gestures are not indicative of how bad their relationship was that dates back to the 1970s, when Kim fought against the military regime under former President Park Chung-hee, President Park's father.
In 1999, Kim slammed his successor, Kim Dae-jung, for supporting the building of the Park Chung-hee Memorial Library, saying he could not accept the idea that Kim Dae-jung had praised Park, who staged a coup and halted the development of a democratic constitutional government. Park Geun-hye, who was a deputy chairwoman of the Grand National Party (GNP) at that time, struck back at the criticism. The GNP is a predecessor of the ruling Saenuri Party.
In 2007, Kim took sides with Lee Myung-bak over Park in the party's presidential primary, helping the former Seoul mayor win the candidacy.
The bilateral feud continued from father to son when Kim's son, Kim Hyun-chul who was a vice president of the Yeouido Institute, failed to be nominated for the 2012 general election, with Park in charge of the party's emergency committee. The institute is the party's think tank.
In addition, Kim Hyun-chul openly supported opposition candidate Moon Jae-in over Park in the 2012 presidential election.
Until recently, Kim harshly criticized Park for attempting to extend her father's authoritarian rule.
Following Kim Young-sam's death, the White House also offered condolences, Sunday, crediting Kim as a leader who set a precedent for a peaceful transition of power in South Korean leadership.
"On behalf of the American people, we send our heartfelt condolences to the people of the Republic of Korea for the passing of former President Kim Young-sam," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said.
"His contributions to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Republic of Korea will always be remembered, and his legacy is enshrined in America's unbreakable relationship with the Korean government and people."
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton also mourned Kim's death, noting he sacrificed for the nation's democratization.
"I join the people of South Korea in mourning the loss of President Kim Young-sam, whose vision and sacrifice helped his nation fully realize its democratic destiny," Clinton said.
"I was proud to work with President Kim to deepen the partnership between the United States and South Korea and promote regional security and cooperation, and I'll never forget his hospitality during my trip to Seoul in 1993," he said, referring to his official visit to Korea in July 1993.
Amid escalating the North Korean nuclear crisis in 1994, the Clinton administration planned for a strike against the North's nuclear facilities at Yongbyon, but Kim convinced him not to do it, citing the likely chance of war.
Meanwhile, the government asked households and private companies as well as government offices, Monday, to hoist the national flag at half-mast.
"Until the 26th, the entire citizenry are required to raise the flag according to the state-funeral law," said the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs in an official document sent to central and local governments.
It also asked public officials to wear black ribbons and black ties at public events, and delay festive events until the funeral is over.
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