EX-PRESIDENT ROH TAE-WOO PASSES AWAY

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Former President Roh Tae-woo died yesterday at age 88. He had been bed-ridden for quite some time before his condition deteriorated rapidly. Visitors have been coming to pay their respect at the memorial altar set up at Seoul National University Hospital since ten this morning.

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Roh Tae-woo had been treated for chronic illness at home in Yeonhui-dong. The former president started showing symptoms of hypoxia and low blood pressure on Monday. On Tuesday, Roh died an hour after being transported to the ER of Seoul National University Hospital. According to doctors, he apparently died from old age and long-standing illness. He had been bed-ridden for more than a decade. Roh had undergone prostate cancer surgery in 2002 and had been hospitalized several times due to pneumonia. According to his family, the ex-president always said he is grateful and honored to have served a great nation and its people. And that he did his best but asked to be forgiven for shortcomings and mistakes. Reportedly he also wished for the two Koreas to be unified peacefully by the younger generations. Political figures are expected to pay their respects on Wednesday. The first one to arrive at around 9:40 a.m. was former People Power Party leader Kim Chong-in. Current leader of the main opposition, Lee Jun-seok also came to pay his condolences to the late president. Other politicians including Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil as well as presidential contenders Lee Jae-myung and Yoon Seok-youl are expected to show up. Roh Tae-woo’s family issued a statement. They are talking with the government about the funeral. They want the late president to be buried in Paju, where the Unification Park is located, instead of the National Cemetery.