Lee praises late Cardinal Kim in rare eulogy

SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- In a rare eulogy, President Lee Myung-bak Friday
praised the late Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan as a true leader who embraced not
only Catholics but every member of society, including the weak and the poor.

The country's first Roman Catholic Cardinal died Monday at the age of 86.
"The cardinal stood with not only Catholics, but our leaders, the sick, the poor
and the weak. He stood on the side of neglected workers throughout the country's
industrialization era and he spoke of justice as he often faced and fought
against injustice and corruption," Lee said in his eulogy read by Prime Minister
Han Seung-soo at the funeral of the late cardinal.
Kim's death gave rise to what observers called a rare phenomenon of national
unity in a country that has been frequently divided by political and religious
conflicts. Nearly 400,000 citizens have visited Myeongdong Cathedral in downtown
Seoul this week to pay their respects to the late cardinal.
"As the cardinal himself once said, he was not sure whether he could do any
better if he was to live his life again, he truly gave everything he had
throughout his life," said the presidential message read at the funeral held at
Myeongdong Cathedral.
The president said it was important to learn from what Kim has taught us than to
continue grieving over his death.
"The message the cardinal left with us through his words and actions is to be
grateful, to love and to share...Though the cardinal has left us, he will always
remain with us in our hearts," said the message.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)