Asan honorary chair mourns passing of Heritage founder

Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-joon, left, of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies speaks with Heritage Foundation founder Edwin Feulner in this undated photo. Courtesy of Asan Institute for Policy Studies

Chung Mong-joon, founder and honorary chairman of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, on Sunday mourned the passing of Edwin Feulner, founder and longtime president of the Heritage Foundation, who died on Friday at the age of 83.

“Feulner was a strong supporter of the Asan Institute since its establishment in 2008,” Chung said. “He served as a member of its international advisory board and was a speaker at every major conference the Institute hosted.”

Chung said his relationship with Feulner began nearly 40 years ago during his Ph.D. studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, when Feulner “generously shared his knowledge and became an intellectual guide to American politics and U.S. foreign policy.”

In 1987, Feulner arranged a White House meeting for Chung and his father with then-President Ronald Reagan. In 2002, former President Kim Dae-jung awarded Feulner the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit for promoting bilateral ties.

“Feulner’s leadership of the Heritage Foundation was the gold standard for how to turn ideas into policy outcomes in what he called the ‘battle of ideas,’” Chung said. “We will miss Feulner’s wise counsel and friendship, which were the concrete embodiment of our Alliance.”

He added, “To quote from his last address to the Asan Institute in 2024, ‘The ROK-U.S. relationship is a time-tested alliance of ideas, individuals and institutions.’ Ed may now be gone, but he shall never be forgotten.”