South Korea's Democratic Party leaders honor former PM Lee Hae-chan at 49th-day memorial
The 49th-day memorial service (49재) for former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan was held on March 14 at the Da-gapjeon Hall of Won Buddhism’s So-taesan Memorial Hall in Seoul’s Dongjak District. The ceremony marks the traditional 49th day since his death and was attended by members of the political elite, among others.
Kim Hye-kyung, the late prime minister’s wife, attended the service along with senior figures from the Democratic Party and other attendees, including party leader Cheong-rae Jeong, floor leader Han Byung-do, former prime minister Han Myeong-sook, former President Roh Moo-hyun’s widow Kwon Yang-sook, and writer Yoo Si-min.
Kim Hye-kyung was the first to bow and offer incense at the late leader’s shrine after eulogies by Cheong-rae Jeong and Yoo Si-min, and she was seen wiping away tears during the proceedings.
In his tribute, Cheong-rae Jeong spoke of following in the late leader’s footsteps, noting Lee Hae-chan’s role in what party supporters call the “miracle” of the 2020 general election, which produced a 180-seat majority for the party in the National Assembly. Jeong pledged to carry forward that momentum.
Jeong also recalled remarks from August last year, when he took the party leadership, in which Lee reportedly urged vigilance against “insurrection-related forces” that may still be active, stressing the need to stay alert to threats to democracy.
Han Byung-do, the party’s floor leader, praised Lee Hae-chan’s lifelong commitment to democracy and to building a democratic, people-centered political party, calling him a towering figure in Korea’s democratic era.
For international readers, the ceremony highlights how South Korea’s political elite honor figures who shaped the country’s democratic evolution. It also sheds light on the internal dynamics of the Democratic Party, cross-generational ties within Korea’s political establishment, and the memory of a leadership that helped shape electoral outcomes and policy directions that influence Seoul’s approach to security, economy, and regional diplomacy, including its alignment with the United States.