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Mourners line up to pay their respects to the late Roh Hoe-chan, Justice Party lawmaker, at the funeral hall of Yonsei University Severance Hospital in Seoul on July 24. (Kim Kyu-nam, staff reporter)
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Thousands mourn the passing of Roh Hoe-chan in spite of sweltering heat wave
“A politician who spoke from the perspective of the common person.”
“A National Assembly member who resolutely stood up for the weak against the strong.”
“A man who was hearty in his laughter.”
These were some of the ways ordinary people remembered Roh Hoe-chan as a politician.
A long line of ordinary South Koreans arrived at the funeral home at Yonsei University Severance Hospital in Seoul’s Seodaemun district on July 24 to mourn the passing of the Justice Party lawmaker, who had taken his own life the day before. Despite broiling temperatures of around 35 degrees Celsius, some 5,600 mourners had visited the funeral home by 7 pm that evening. The sight of so many ordinary people standing in line – university students, parents holding their children’s hands, company employees in their work clothes – gave a glimpse at how broad a segment of the public Roh had inspired as a minority party lawmaker in the National Assembly.
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Many mourners delivered handwritten letters to the late Roh Hoe-chan, Justice Party lawmaker and leader, at Yonsei University Severance Hospital’s funeral home in Seoul on July 24. (Baek So-ah, staff photographer)
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”His life was not spent in vain”
The mourners remembered Roh as a politician who spoke for the vulnerable members of society – sympathizing with their message and drawing strength from their voices. Park Min-ja, 48, wept throughout her interview, describing Roh as “someone who said a lot of things we could support from the perspective of the common man.”
“He used to joke that they were ‘Cider remarks’ [after the name of a popular soft drink], but there aren’t many [politicians] who will say things like that,” she added.
“I came because I thought even my own small contribution could help in showing that his life was not spent in vain,” she said.
Won Seung-jae, a 20-year-old university student, said, “I remember him as this hearty man who would explain things in a cheerful way even during debates.”
“It was great to see how bold he was in his battle with Samsung,” Won remembered.
“He’s someone who resolutely stood up for the weak against the strong, but I also thought it was kind of cowardly for him to leave like this. Now that I see it for myself, I realize how difficult it must have been,” he added, trailing off as if overcome with emotion.
Kim Ji-su, a 43-year-old company employee who took a half-day off to pay respects, said, “There aren’t many politicians like Roh Hoe-chan who represent the weak and fight against the strong.”
“I think he should have stuck around and made laws and institutions for the vulnerable,” a saddened Kim added.
Some mourners lamented the loss of an easygoing National Assembly member who followed the path of a progressive politician with popular appeal. Many described him as “different from the establishment politicians.”
“I have a connection with Roh Hoe-chan dating back to high school, when I met him and interviewed him,” explained university student Song Woong-geun, 21.
“He offered sincere advice on my relationships with my friends, and he gave me 50,000 won [US$44] for taking the trouble to come up from the provinces,” he recalled.
A 21-year-old volunteer visiting from Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, said, “I supported Roh Hoe-chan because of his honesty. He really looked after young people, telling me one time when I met him by chance that I should ‘come to the National Assembly and have something to eat next week.’”
Comparisons to the late President Roh Moo-hyun
This outpouring of intense grief over a politician’s death is rare in South Korea. Some saw similarities with the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun in 2009 – as though they were reliving the trauma of being “unable to save” another politician who spoke for the vulnerable and was close to the common public.
Indeed, some of the mourners visiting the funeral home noted, “It was like this when President Roh passed away too.” It also showed that Roh Hoe-chan’s history as a politician who shared his life with society’s marginalized people – casting not a single sideways glance over three decades from his time as a welder in his twenties to his period as leader for a negotiation group – won him more than enough trust from the public to make up for his acceptance of 40 million won (US$35,500) in illegal political funds.
Indeed, the mourners were unanimous in their sadness over Roh’s decision to take his own life as a “just” politician in a shameless political climate.
“It’s so sad when an irrational society drives a politician to leave this world when he’s still healthy,” 50-year-old company employee Jeong Gyeong-sook said as she wiped tears away.
Another visitor to the funeral home was Yonsei University United Graduate School of Theology professor Jeong Jong-hoon, who said, “I’m very disappointed that he ended his life over a small indiscretion.”
“It’s up to the living now to work to fill the gap he left behind,” he added.
Some visitors left handwritten letters to express their sadness. In a briefing the same day, Justice Party spokesperson Choi Seok shared some of the letters written to Roh by members of the public. One of them, written by a young fourth-year student in elementary school, read, “My mom and dad really loved you, and now all of a sudden they’re sad. I’d always wanted to meet you at the Justice Party office, and it’s sad to see you here instead.”
Another member of the public wrote, “You really fought hard and persevered this long. I’m sorry for the heavy weight this placed on you.”
“As the living, we will strive to do good things as you said,” the letter continued.
Choi added that he was “grateful to all these people for expressing their feelings in handwritten letters.”
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Due to an overwhelming number of people lining up to mourn the late Roh Hoe-chan, Justice Party lawmaker and leader, on July 24, the funeral home at Yonsei University Severance Hospital set up a separate mourning site to dissipate the massive lines and long waiting periods. (Kim Kyu-nam, staff reporter)
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Honoring Roh overseas
The intense mourning for Roh’s death has spread beyond his memorial sites in South Korea to reach people overseas. Memorial sites have reportedly been raised and are receiving mourners in Korean communities in Beijing and Los Angeles, among other places.
By Um Ji-won, Seo Young-ji and Kim Kyu-nam, staff reporters
Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
