Baek Ki-wan, director of the Institute for Unification Studies, who was the’big adult’ of the Korean people’s movement history, died on the 15th, and the footsteps of ruling and opposition politicians and officials from civil society organizations continued until late at night.
At the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital, where the head of the house was held, a parade of condolences continued from 2 p.m. on that day. Park Young-seon, a candidate for the Mayor of Seoul of the Democratic Party, who visited the vacant shortly after the bereaved families began to receive the condolences, commented on his relationship with Director Baek, “I visited him as a reporter and gave me a message of support when he was a member of the National Assembly.” He went too quickly, leaving a lot of regret.”
Gyeonggi Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myeong also said, “I always met someone on the road,” and said, “I thought I should be alike every time I see you in the field, but I will eagerly follow the path the teacher has taken.”
Democratic Party Rep. Park Yong-jin also met with reporters after completing his condolences and said, “It was a great honor to be a member of the presidential election in 1992. I was an activist at the time of the presidential election,” and said, “I am an adult who encouraged young people not to lose courage. “After walking side by side together, I came out with a pledge to become a politician.”
Lee Jae-oh, a senior adviser of the People’s Power, also visited the slum on this day and said, “I first met my teacher when I was doing a student movement against the Korea-Japan talks in 1964.” “All the first generation of the democratization movement, including Paik, died, I am very sorry.”
In the Justice Party, Vice President Bae Bok-ju, as well as lawmakers Jang Hye-young, Ryu Ho-jeong, and Kang Eun-mi, also found the poor. Members of the Open Democratic Party, including Rep. Kang-wook Choi, Jin-ae Kim, and Min-jung Kang, also visited the slum and took the last path of the deceased.
The memorial step continued in the civic society including academia. Paik Nak-cheong, an emeritus professor at Seoul National University, also said hello to the bereaved family and met with reporters, saying, “He was the oldest adult of the people’s movement, and he was like a big brother to me.” “I was a senior I always respected with my heart. There is no way,” he said. Novelist Hyun Ki-young also emphasized, “There is a way to reconcile and cooperate with each other despite the ideological gap between the two Koreas,” and “it is the way to continue Paik’s will.”
Kim Mi-sook, chairman of the Kim Yong-gyun Foundation, also said, “I was so thrilled and upset that Yong-gyun came even when he was supported by the poor after the accident, so I did not know what to do.”
The condolence matrix continued until the late afternoon of this day. Unification Minister Lee In-young, who visited the vacant place at around 7:10 pm, said, “When the squadron cooperative was launched in 1987, he came and gave a lecture. “I wanted to sing,” he said.
After finishing the condolences, Justice Party lawmaker Shim Sang-jeong also recalled, “My father (Director Baek) and the’date place’ were always a plaza,” and “I was like a guardian god who always kept that place whenever I went.” “There are many elders of the democratic reunification movement, but in particular, there will be almost the only one who focuses on the lives and practices of people like non-regular workers, farmers, and the family of the Sewol ferry.” “Mr. Paik will always be in Gwanghwamun Square. “There will be a place for you.”
Lee Seung-yeop reporter [email protected]
Jaeyeon Park reporter [email protected]
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