Leaders gather, say goodbye to Hyundai widow

Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun, second from left, speaks to officials yesterday at her mother-in-law Byun Joong-seok’s funeral site. [NEWSIS]

The North Korean government offered its condolences yesterday to the family of Byun Joong-seok, the widow of Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung, who died last Friday at the age of 83.
According to Hyundai Asan, North Korea’s Chosun Asia Pacific Committee sent a telegram to Hyundai-Kia Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo and Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun. The telegram said that it “looked forward” to having Hyundai aggressively lead unification efforts.
Since Byun’s visitation began on Saturday, more than 2,000 have come to pay their respects, including major political and business figures.
Since Saturday’s sudden postponement of summit talks between North and South Korea, the numerous politicians and industry personnel visiting the funeral home took the opportunity to exchange comments regarding inter-Korean relationships.
Park Ji-won, a former Blue House secretary-in-chief, related former President Kim Dae-jung’s condolences. “People who were involved in the 2000 North-South summit are unofficially helping prepare for the second summit talks,” Park said, adding that Kim Dae-jung would meet with President Roh if asked.
Former Uri Party leader Chung Dong-young pushed for completion of the Kaesong Industrial Complex. “The complex could have been completed in four years, but it is still in a meager state on its seventh year,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Hyundai group affiliate top executives cited vows for better performance. Seol Young-heung, vice chairman of Hyundai Motor China, which slipped out of the top 10 ranking in sales in the first half of this year, confidently said that sales in China would rise to third or fourth place after the Beijing Olympics. Cho Nam-hong, president of Kia Motors, said that the company would invest 3 trillion won ($3.16 billion) in the next three years to raise operating profits by 2010.

By Moon Byung-joo, Han Ae-ran JoongAng Ilbo [wohn@joongang.co.kr]