Foreign delegates attend funeral

From news reports



Groups of foreign dignitaries yesterday attended the state funeral of late former President Kim Dae-jung, internationally recognized for his lifelong campaign for the country`s democratization and inter-Korean reconciliation.

A 10-member U.S. delegation, led by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, took part in the ceremony held at the National Assembly.



The delegates include Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korea policy, Harold Koh, legal advisor at the State Department, Wendy Sherman, former counselor of the State Department, Evans Revere, president of the Korea Society, and James Leach, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Also among the delegation are U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Kathleen Stephens and her predecessors -- Donald Gregg, Thomas Hubbard and James Laney.

China was represented by an 11-member group, headed by former state councilor and foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan. The largest foreign delegation to Kim`s funeral includes Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue in charge of Asian affairs and disarmament.

Former House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono led Japan`s delegation.

All the heads of the United States, Chinese and Japanese delegations had relatively many chances to meet the former South Korean president while serving as their countries` top diplomats during his presidency from 1998-2003.

Russia did not dispatch a separate delegation from Moscow, letting its ambassador to Seoul Gleb Ivashentsov attend the funeral.

Britain and Australia were represented by Andrew Adonis, secretary of state in the department for transport, and Anthony Byrne, parliamentary secretary for trade, respectively.

Cambodian Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith and East Timor`s parliamentary chief Fernando Lasama de Araujo also attended the funeral.