Roh's death remembered

Reps. Choi Kyung-hwan, left, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, and Kim Han-gil, right, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, attend a memorial service for the fourth anniversary of the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun at Bonghwa village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. Cho Joon-ho, co-chairman of the minor Progressive Justice Party, is in the center. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

Politicians and supporters took part in a memorial service for the fourth anniversary of the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun, Thursday, at his hometown of Bonghwa village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, where he killed himself in 2009.

Many opposition figures including Rep. Kim Han-gil, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil gathered at Roh’s gravesite to pay their respects.

The DP, which holds a policy meeting every Thursday, canceled the meeting to allow more lawmakers to attend the ceremony.

About 50 DP lawmakers visited the village, in an attempt to fulfill the party leader’s pledge to promote unity between its pro-Roh faction and others.

“As an inheritor of Roh, the DP will remember his challenging spirit and push forward with tasks he left for us. At the same time, we will keep Roh’s spirit and spare no efforts to help unprivileged people,” said Park Yong-jin, a DP spokesman.

Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, and Lee Jung-hyun, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, were also present.

“We express our condolences to the bereaved family including Roh’s wife Kwon Yang-suk. We are aware that Roh devoted himself to eradicating regionalism and realizing the nation’s unity. We hope, taking Roh’s fourth anniversary as an opportunity, the nation can proceed forward for harmony,” said Rep. Min Hyun-joo, the ruling party spokeswoman.