Do Je-hae edits news stories as part of the AI team.
Pope Francis, Kim Jong-un send condolences to Moon
Figure 1President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook grieve during a funeral mass for Moon's late mother Kang Han-ok at the Namcheon Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Busan, Thursday. Yonhap
By Do Je-hae
By Do Je-hae, Kim Yoo-chul
Pope Francis and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shared their sorrow over the passing of President Moon Jae-in's mother as they sent condolence messages to the President, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday. Kim's unexpected gesture, however, was quickly overshadowed by North Korea's firing of two short-range projectiles later on the same day.
“North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivered his condolences to President Moon Jae-in. The messages, which were handed over through the truce village of Panmunjeom included the North Korean leader's deepest condolence for the loss of President Moon's mother and best wishes during this difficult time,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Ko Min-jung said in a briefing.
President Moon accepted the messages at the Namcheon Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the country's southern port city of Busan, Wednesday night, the spokesperson added.
Separately, Pope Francis also delivered his condolences at the loss of President Moon's mother via diplomatic channels. “The Pope thanked the President's late mother for her devotion and the memorable legacy she built over her entire life,” Ko told reporters.
Pope Francis during a historic papal visit to Korea in 2014 Korea Times file
Moon's mother Kang Han-ok died of old age in Busan, the President's hometown. The President kept his mother's funeral limited to close relatives, diplomatic corps and leaders of the major political parties. Moon asked the public not to visit the mourning altar or even send flowers. The funeral continued privately for three days. Moon is the first incumbent South Korean president to lose a parent while in office.
Kim Jong-Un's message came as relations between the Koreas are in a stalemate due to a lack of progress in the denuclearization negotiations. The situation was not improved when the North Korean leader ordered the demolition of South Korea-invested structures and facilities on Mount Geumgang, describing them as “shabby” and with “no national character at all.”
After the North refused the South's suggestion of holding working-level discussions over the fate of these South Korean assets, Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul met with heads of South Korean operators involved in the Geumgang project.
During a meeting with senior executives at Hyundai Asan and the state-run Korean Tourism Organization in Seoul, the minister asked them to present possible but detailed ideas of how to save these South-made properties at the worst case and to break the impasse. Hyundai spent around 800 billion won for the Mount Geumgang project, which was launched in 1998. Along with the Gaeseong Industrial Complex, the tourism project is another rare symbol of the inter-Korean economic programs, but both remain suspended because of the imposition of the United Nations Security Council's sanctions.
Regarding the possibility of President Moon visiting Mexico next month, Cheong Wa Dae said the presidential protocol team was on the way to explore a “Plan B” after Chile canceled this year's APEC summit scheduled for Nov. 16 and 17. Moon planned to make a state visit to Mexico on his way to Chile.
Scenes from funeral mass for President Moon Jae-in's late mother Kang Han-ok at the Namcheon Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Busan Yonhap
“We've just learned about the news. We may reschedule planned bilateral summits,” another presidential aide told reporters. Ahead of the official termination of a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, set to expire Nov. 23, Moon planned to hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over the issue of renewing the pact.
The leaders of the two countries have not had a summit since the United Nations General Assembly in September 2018, though Abe did meet with South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon. Abe expressed his condolences on the passing of Moon's mother, through a message delivered by his envoy to Korea, Yasumasa Nagamine.
Scenes from funeral mass for President Moon Jae-in's late mother Kang Han-ok at the Namcheon Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Busan Yonhap
The President has been on a leave of absence since Tuesday to take care of his mother's funeral. He is expected to return to official duties soon to prepare for the Nov.2-5 ASEAN+3 summit in Thailand.