President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee leave a hotel in London to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Monday (Korea Standard Time). Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, paying tribute to her lifetime dedication to protecting peace and freedom.
Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee attended the state funeral held at Westminster Abbey in London, Monday (Korea Standard Time), along with dignitaries and world leaders who gathered to mourn the longest-reigning British monarch.
After the funeral service, Yoon was scheduled to pay his respects to her coffin and wrote a message of tribute in a book of condolence. According to senior presidential secretary for public relations, Kim Eun-hye, Yoon said in the message that he was "honored to have been among the contemporaries of the queen who had lived a life dedicated to protecting freedom and peace" and "the Republic of Korea will remember Queen Elizabeth II forever."
But Yoon failed to make a scheduled visit to the Queen's lying-in-state in Westminster before the funeral, triggering speculations. There was even a rumor that he was not invited to the tribute.
The senior secretary for public relations flatly denied the rumor, criticizing those who spread such groundless speculation. She told reporters that "the event of President Yoon leaving his message in the book of condolences was arranged after the funeral service, due to the circumstance of London," noting that leaders who arrived in London later on Sunday were ushered to visit the tribute event on Monday.
"It is regretful that the grief (for the queen's death) is exploited for the sake of domestic politics," she said, adding that there are other leaders who would sign the book after the funeral services.
President Yoon Suk-yeol, left in third row from bottom, and his wife Kim Keon-hee, to Yoon's right, attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London, Monday (local time). PA Images via Yonhap
Before attending the funeral service, Yoon joined a reception hosted by King Charles III in London where he offered the monarch his condolences over the queen's death.
According to the senior secretary for public relations, Yoon and his wife attended a reception at Buckingham Palace, ahead of the queen's state funeral.
"Many will remember that the queen has dedicated her entire life to peace and freedom," the presidential secretary said. "Yoon offered his condolences and said that her lifetime of dedication for the protection of peace and freedom will be remembered, and South Koreans are also grieving the loss of the queen."
美媒宣稱“055大驅缺少最關鍵武器” ？中國海軍試驗艦官方照片透露了細節
Justice ministry panel begins review of presidential pardon candidates
New slogan for Seoul put to vote
Yoon to push through labor, education, pension reforms
Women with hearing impairments break employment barriers at nail salon 
美媒：特朗普曾想給“操縱選舉”申請注冊商標……
查看所有0條評論>>