▲ President Lee Jae Myung pays tribute to the late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan at the memorial altar in the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul on Jan. 27, 2026. (Yonhap)
▲ President Lee Jae Myung (L) wipes away tears after solacing the bereaved family of late former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan at the memorial altar in a funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul on Jan. 27, 2026. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Lee-ex-PM funeral

(LEAD) Lee pays tribute to late PM Lee Hae-chan, awards highest civilian decoration

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with latest details; CHANGES headline, photos)

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung paid tribute to former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan on Tuesday and posthumously awarded South Korea's highest civilian decoration in recognition of his lifelong dedication to democracy and public service.

President Lee visited the funeral hall at Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul, where he conferred the Order of Mugunghwa on the late prime minister.

It is the nation's top civilian honor given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to national development across various fields.

After laying a wreath at the memorial altar, President Lee greeted and consoled the bereaved family, at times wiping away tears.

Lee Hae-chan, who died Sunday while visiting Vietnam, was a towering figure in South Korea's pro-democracy movement. He endured torture and imprisonment during the authoritarian regimes before going on to serve as a seven-term lawmaker and advise multiple liberal presidents.

In October, he was appointed senior vice president of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) to support the Lee administration's policies on North Korea and inter-Korean relations.

Following news of his death Sunday, President Lee expressed deep condolences and praised the late former prime minister's lifelong dedication to democracy.

A funeral committee comprising representatives from various fields, led by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, arranged Lee's funeral in consideration of his status as a public figure and his contributions to the country. The five-day funeral will be held through Saturday.

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