SEOUL– First lady Kim Keon-hee plans to pay a visit to the wife of late former President Roh Moo-hyun at her home in the southeastern village of Bongha, officials close to Kim said Thursday.
“First lady Kim is planning to visit Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, to meet with Kwon,” said an official close to Kim, referring to Roh’s wife, Kwon Yang-sook, adding that an exact date for the meeting has yet to be set.
Roh, who ran the country from 2003-2008, committed suicide amid a sprawling corruption probe in 2009. But he is considered an iconic figure in the nation’s liberal bloc as he pushed for far-reaching reform measures and endeavored to eliminate authoritarianism and regionalism from politics.
Another official close to Kim said the first lady “has long wanted to meet Kwon in person.”
President Yoon Suk-yeol visited Bongha Village, some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in November last year when he was a presidential candidate and paid his respects at Roh’s grave. At that time, Yoon praised the late president for his ability to relate to the common people and fight injustice.
An official at the Roh Moo Hyun Foundation dedicated to remembering the late president’s works also confirmed that the presidential office conveyed Kim’s intention for a meeting with Kwon and the two sides have discussed arranging the meeting.
Meanwhile, Kim is expected to retire from her art event-planning company, Covana Contents, as early as this week. The company has already closed its website, a company official said.
The company will not engage in for-profit businesses while keeping its office and other assets, the company official said.
Source: Yonhap News Agency