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President confers highest civil merit order on late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan

Published: 27 Jan. 2026, 20:24

President Lee Jae Myung, left, posthumously confers the Mugunghwa Medal at the memorial altar for Lee Hae-chan, senior vice chair of the National Unification Advisory Council, at Seoul National University Hospital Funeral Hall in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Jan. 27. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday visited the funeral hall to pay his respects to the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan.

Lee visited Seoul National University Hospital with first lady Kim Hea Kyung and offered his condolences to the bereaved family.

After paying his respects, Lee posthumously awarded the Mugunghwa Medal of the Order of Civil Merit to the former prime minister.

The Order of Civil Merit is awarded to those recognized for distinguished service in fields such as politics, the economy, society, education and academia with contributions to public welfare and national development. The Mugunghwa Medal is the top class among the order’s five grades.

Lee then greeted other visitors, including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, liberal Democratic Party leader Jung Cheong-rae and Cho Kuk, leader of the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party, before moving to a separate reception room.

“We have lost a great teacher in the history of democracy,” Lee wrote on Facebook after news of Lee’s death emerged Sunday.

President Lee Jae Myung, second from right, and first lady Kim Hea-kyung, right, pay their respects at the memorial altar for the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan at Seoul National University Hospital Funeral Hall in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Jan. 27. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]